TOO / ENOUGH, SO / SUCH
We use too to say that something is more than we like or want. We use it with nouns,
adjectives and adverbs:
- With countable nouns we use too many:
o There are too many people, I can’t see anything.
- With uncountable nouns we use too much:
o She spends too much time on the Internet.
- Before adjectives:
o It’s too hot to go running.
- Before adverbs:
o He got up too quickly.
We use enough to say that we have the right amount of something. In negative sentences,
it means that we have less than we like or want. We use it with nouns, adjectives and
adverbs:
- Before countable and uncountable nouns:
o There are enough people for a football game (= right number to play)
o I have enough time to get to the airport (= I am on time)
o There aren’t enough chairs for everyone (= not the right number of chairs)
o There isn’t enough sugar to bake a cake (= not the right amount of sugar)
- After adjectives:
o She’s old enough to go clubbing (= she is the right age to do it)
o It isn’t warm enough to go swimming in the sea (= not the right weather)
- After adverbs:
o She spoke English well enough at the conference (= she spoke correctly)
o I didn’t run quickly enough to win the race (= I should have been faster)
After too and enough, we often use to + infinitive:
o It’s too late to go back now.
o We don’t have enough time to keep up with all the emails.
We use so with adjectives, adverbs and nouns:
- Before adjectives and adverbs: to show high degree or intensity.
o She is so tall.
o My children run so fast.
- Before nouns → so many for countable and so much for uncountable.
o They have so many friends.
o She has so much homework.
We use such with nouns (or with an adjective + noun) to describe things with emphasis or
surprise:
- Before singular nouns → such + a/an + noun
o She is such an artist
o It was such an honour to meet him
- Before plural nouns → such + noun
o We were such idiots.
o They told me such lies.
- Before adjective + singular nouns → such + a/an + adjective + noun
o It was such a hot day
o He told us such an extraordinary story
- Before adjective + plural nouns → such + adjective + noun
o We made such beautiful memories there
o They are such talented musicians
After so and such we often use a that clause:
o It was such a nice hotel that we decided to stay one more night
o We exercised so much that we couldn’t move later that day.
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with too, enough, too many or too much.
1. She speaks quite quickly but she makes ________________ mistakes.
2. On, no! We haven’t got ______________ milk. Can you go to the shop and buy
some?
3. They’re nice children, but they make _____________noise.
4. We wanted to go out, but it was _________________ cold.
5. They spend __________________ time watching TV. It’s not healthy!
6. Your project isn’t brilliant, but it’s good _________________. You don’t need to do
it again.
7. You should take a bus – it’s ______________ far to walk.
8. ___________________ people attended the meeting. Everyone was talking at the
same time, and they couldn’t make any decisions.
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences using so, so much/many, such or such a.
1. They’re _____________ lazy that they never do any homework.
2. It was _____________ boring film that we left halfway through.
3. You’ve read that book _______________ times that you must know every word by
now.
4. Watching reality TV is ______________ waste of time.
5. There was _____________________ food that we couldn’t eat it all.
6. They’re ____________________ nice people that I’m sure you’ll like them.
