Too, too much, too many, enough

Too, too much, too many, enough – Grammar chart

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Too

Before an adjective/adverb

We use too before an adjective or an adverb to mean ‘more than we need’ or ‘more than is necessary’.

• You are too young to enter this club. 
• We arrived too late. 

Too much

Before an uncountable noun

We can use too much before uncountable nouns to mean ‘more than we need’ or ‘more than is necessary’.

• The doctor said that I drink too much coffee. 
• I hate this city. There’s too much traffic.

After a verb

We can also use too much after a verb.

• You can’t take the car. You’ve drunk too much.  
• He talks too much.

Too many

Before a plural noun

We use too many before plural nouns to mean ‘more than we need’ or ‘more than is necessary’.

• I didn’t enjoy the concert. There were too many people.
• They lost because they made too many mistakes. 

Enough

Before a noun

We can use enough + noun to say that something is the correct number or amount.

• I have saved enough money to go to Rome on holiday. 
• Do you have enough butter to cook?

In negative sentences, we use (not) enough + noun to say that something is less than we want or need.

• We don’t have enough money to travel. 
• I don’t have enough time to finish my homework before Monday. 

After an adjective/adverb

We can use adjective/adverb + enough to mean ‘sufficiently’.

• This bed is big enough for the four of us. 
• I think she spoke clearly enough. Everybody understood what she meant. 

In negative sentences, we can use (not) adjective/adverb + enough to mean ‘less than we want’ or ‘less than necessary’.

• You aren’t old enough to enter this club.
• You aren’t going fast enough. We are going to be late.

After a verb

We can also use verb + enough.

• I didn’t study enough, and I failed the exam. 
• I think you don’t sleep enough. You should sleep seven or eight hours a day. 

Too, too much, too many, enough + to + infinitive

In English, we often use a to-infinitive with the expressions too, too much, too many, enough.

• I was too tired to go clubbing.
• She makes enough money to sustain her family.

Be careful with these common mistakes!

Don’t use an adjective after too much

• I’m too much tired to study now.
• I’m too tired to study now.

Don’t confuse the word too (=more than enough) with the word very.

• I think she is too beautiful.
• I think she is very beautiful.