Enough and Too: Word Order, Quantifiers and To-Infinitive Structures

Too and enough both tell us about quantity or degree, but in opposite ways. Too means ‘more than is needed or wanted’ and almost always has a negative feel: The coffee is too hot to drink. Enough means ‘as much as is needed’ — it is neutral or positive: Is the coffee warm enough? The opposite of enough is not enough, which means ‘less than is needed’. This pattern is typically consolidated at B1 on the CEFR scale.

The biggest challenge for learners is word order. Too goes before an adjective or adverb, while enough goes after an adjective or adverb but before a noun. This guide covers every pattern with natural British examples, plus the useful too…to and enough…to structures.

Too + Adjective or Adverb

We put too directly before an adjective or adverb to say something is excessive — more than we want. The meaning is negative.

• This jumper is too small for me. (I can’t wear it)
• It’s too cold to sit outside today.
• You’re driving too slowly — we’ll be late.
• She speaks too quietly for the back row to hear.

Too Much / Too Many + Noun

Before a noun we use too much with uncountable nouns and too many with countable plural nouns. Both mean ‘more than is wanted or needed’.

• I’ve had too much sugar in my tea. (uncountable)
• There were too many people on the train. (countable)
• He spends too much money on takeaways.
• You’ve made too many mistakes in this essay.

Phrase	Used with	Example
too much	uncountable nouns (excess)	There’s too much noise in here.
too many	countable plural nouns (excess)	We bought too many chairs.
too little	uncountable nouns (not enough)	There’s too little time left.
too few	countable plural nouns (not enough)	Too few students turned up.

Enough After an Adjective or Adverb

When enough works with an adjective or adverb, it comes after it — never before. Enough means ‘to the degree that is needed’.

• Is the water warm enough for a bath?
• He isn’t old enough to vote yet.
• She didn’t run quickly enough to catch the bus.
• The instructions weren’t clear enough.

Enough Before a Noun

When enough works with a noun, it comes before it — the same position as too much or too many. It means ‘as much or as many as is needed’.

• Have we got enough money for the tickets?
• There aren’t enough chairs for everyone.
• We don’t have enough time to finish today.
• Make sure you drink enough water.

Too vs Enough: Word Order Compared

Structure	Word order	Example
too + adjective/adverb	too goes before	It’s too hot to sit outside.
too much/many + noun	too much/many goes before	There’s too much traffic today.
adjective/adverb + enough	enough goes after	The room is big enough for us.
enough + noun	enough goes before	We have enough chairs now.

Too + Adjective + (for Somebody) + To-Infinitive

A very common pattern joins too to a result using a to-infinitive. We can add for + somebody to say who is affected.

• I’m too tired to walk any further.
• The box was too heavy for me to lift.
• This soup is too hot to eat right now.
• The film was too boring for the children to watch.

Adjective + Enough + (for Somebody) + To-Infinitive

The matching pattern with enough places enough after the adjective and before the to-infinitive. Again, for + somebody can be added.

• She’s old enough to drive now.
• The rope was strong enough for him to carry the load.
• Is the coffee cool enough to drink yet?
• He spoke clearly enough for everyone to understand.

Enough Of + Determiner or Pronoun

When enough comes before a word like the, this, my, or a pronoun, we add of: enough of.

• We didn’t eat enough of the cake.
• Have you seen enough of these already?
• I’ve had enough of it — let’s go home.
• Not enough of my friends could come.

Common Mistakes

• Putting enough before an adjective: ✗ It isn’t enough warm. ✓ It isn’t warm enough.
• Confusing too with very: ✗ The film was too good, I loved it. ✓ The film was very good, I loved it. (too is negative; very just intensifies)
• Using too much with countable nouns: ✗ There were too much people. ✓ There were too many people.
• Wrong order in the to-infinitive structure: ✗ I’m tired too to walk. ✓ I’m too tired to walk.
• Adding that instead of a to-infinitive: ✗ He is old enough that he can drive. ✓ He is old enough to drive.

Practice Exercises

Explore related grammar topics:

All Grammar Topics Adjectives Adverbs Quantifiers Determiners

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ‘too’ and ‘enough’?

Too means ‘more than is needed or wanted’ and has a negative feel: It’s too hot. Enough means ‘as much as is needed’ and is neutral or positive: It’s warm enough. The opposite of enough is not enough, meaning ‘less than is needed’: It isn’t warm enough. So too shows excess, enough shows sufficiency, and not enough shows insufficiency.

Where does ‘enough’ go in a sentence?

Enough goes after an adjective or adverb (warm enough, quickly enough) but before a noun (enough money, enough chairs). This double rule catches out many learners. Say The room is big enough, not ‘enough big’; and We have enough chairs, not ‘chairs enough’ in modern English.

Where does ‘too’ go in a sentence?

Too goes directly before the adjective or adverb it describes: too hot, too slowly. Before a noun, use too much or too many: too much sugar, too many people. Avoid putting too after the word, as in ‘hot too’, which is incorrect in this meaning.

When do I use ‘too much’ and when ‘too many’?

Use too much with uncountable nouns — things you cannot count, such as sugar, time, noise or money: too much sugar. Use too many with countable plural nouns — things you can count, such as people, chairs or mistakes: too many people. Both mean ‘more than is wanted’.

What is the difference between ‘too’ and ‘very’?

Very simply makes an adjective stronger and is neutral: The coffee is very hot (but I can still drink it). Too means there is a problem — more than we want: The coffee is too hot (I can’t drink it). So The film was very good is a compliment, but The film was too long is a complaint. Never use too when you simply mean very.

Why is ‘enough warm’ wrong?

With adjectives and adverbs, enough always comes after the word, not before. So ‘enough warm’ is wrong; the correct form is warm enough. The same applies to adverbs: not ‘enough quickly’ but quickly enough. Only before a noun does enough come first, as in enough warmth or enough money.

How do I use ‘too…to’ and ‘enough…to’?

Use too + adjective + to-infinitive to show a negative result: I’m too tired to walk. Use adjective + enough + to-infinitive to show that something is possible: She’s old enough to drive. You can add for + somebody in both: The box was too heavy for me to lift; The rope was strong enough for him to carry.

When do I add ‘of’ after ‘enough’?

Add of when enough is followed by a determiner such as the, this, that, my, or by a pronoun: enough of the cake, enough of these, enough of it. With a plain noun and no determiner, no of is needed: enough cake, enough chairs. So you say enough money but enough of the money.

What are ‘too little’ and ‘too few’?

Too little and too few both mean ‘not enough’. Use too little with uncountable nouns: There’s too little time. Use too few with countable plural nouns: Too few students came. They are the ‘insufficiency’ partners of too much and too many, and they often sound more formal than saying not enough.

At what level should I learn ‘enough’ and ‘too’?

The basic uses of too and enough are introduced at B1 (intermediate) on the CEFR scale. The to-infinitive structures (too tired to walk, old enough to drive) and the more subtle enough of and too little / too few patterns are practised through B2 and into C1, where learners use them for precise, natural-sounding English in writing and speaking.