OPG 111-120+TestsS+T FP 04/11/05 06:05 Page 280

117 Too and enough

1 Introduction You’re right.
it isn’t long
It’s too short.
enough.

Too short and not long enough both mean the same thing.

2 Word order with too and enough

Too goes before an adjective or adverb.
Claire doesn’t want to marry Henry. She thinks he’s too old.
Zedco are in trouble. The company reacted too slowly to the rise in
prices. Enough goes after an adjective or adverb.
The water isn’t hot enough. It needs to be boiling. NOT enough
hot You didn’t put the screws in tightly enough. NOT enough
tightly
Too many, too much and enough go before a noun.
No wonder you’re tired. You’ve been going to too many
parties. Andrew spends too much time working.
There’ll be fifteen people for coffee. Have we got enough
cups? Everything is so expensive. Did you bring enough
money?
We use many with a plural noun and much with an uncountable noun (see Unit 95.1).
Compare these examples with enough.
After an The coffee isn’t strong enough.
You didn’t put enough coffee
adjective: Before in.
a noun:
We leave out the noun if the meaning is clear without it.
Just add a little water. Not too much. We’ll need fifteen cups. Have we got
enough?

3 Other structures with too and enough

We can use a phrase with for after too or enough.
These puzzles are too difficult for This coat isn’t warm enough for
winter.
children. Have we got enough cups for
everyone?
We can also use a to-infinitive.
It’s too dangerous to walk home at this time of night.
There are too many museums here to visit in a single
day. Are you fit enough to run a marathon?
I couldn’t get close enough to see properly.
Vicky didn’t bring enough money to buy two CDs.

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• ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS !

Oxford Practice Grammar Intermediate

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2008
OPG 111-120+TestsS+T FP 23/11/05 16:28 Page 281

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Practice
A Too and enough (1–2)
Look at the pictures and write sentences with too and enough.
Use these nouns and adjectives:big, gate,long, low, plane,sweater,ruler, warm, water, wide

1 2 3

The sweater is too big.

............................................... 1 ...................................................
The
. . . . . ruler
. . . . . . . .isn’t
.. long enough.
............................................... 2 ..................... .............................
...............
3 ........................................... .......

B Too and enough (1–2) ...................................................

..............
Look at what people are saying and complete the sentences. Use too, too many, too much or
enough with these words: clearly, complicated,difficult, expensive, food,hastily, mistakes, rain,
sweet, traffic

1. . . . Can I have some more sugar in my coffee, please? It isn’t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

..............
2 I can’t afford a new stereo. It would be . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..........................
3. . . . There’s a water shortage. There just hasn’t been . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
..................
4. . . . .I .can’t read your writing. You don’t write . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................
5. . . . Try to be more careful, please. You’re making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
...................
6. . . . The roads are very crowded. There’s simply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
....................
7. . . . I. .can’t understand
.................
these instructions. They’re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. . . . Thousands of people are starving because they can’t get . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C Other structures with too and enough (3)
.............

Comment on the situations. Use too or enough and a phrase with for or a to-infinitive.
A taxi would have been best. But you didn’t have the money.
I didn’t have enough money for a taxi.
Sarah can’t take a day off. She’s very busy.
Sarah is too busy to take a day off.
1 A....picnic
. . . . . . .would
. . . . . . . be
. . . .nice.
. . . . . .But
.........................................
. . . . wet.
. . . . it’s ........................................................................

......................................................................................................................
...............................
2 All your guests will need chairs. But you haven’t got very many.
..........................................................................................................
...........................................
......................................................................................................................
...............................
3 You couldn’t carry the equipment. You had such a lot.
......................................................................................................................
...............................
4 Natasha wants to be a professional musician. You think she’s very good.
......................................................................................................................
...............................

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

• PAGE 281

Oxford Practice Grammar Intermediate

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2008

NAME: ________________________ DATE: ________________________

GRAMMAR WORKSHEET

old
darknoisy

Fill in the blanks below to complete the sentences. Use the words above.
interesting slow
1. We can’t have a picnic. It’s too hot outside. It’s not _....._expensive
enough. large
heavy
2. Tell Sharon to hurry! She’s too _.....__. She isn’t fast enough. dirty
3. Kevin can’t drive a car. He’s too young. He isn’t ......... enough.

4. Those apples are too _.......__. They aren’t cheap enough.

dangerous long
5. I don’t like that movie. It’s too boring. It isn’t ........ enough. easy
healthy
6. I can’t study here because it’s too........ It isn’t quiet enough. near
cool
7. The exam was too difficult. It wasn’t ........ enough.

8. Mr. Stewart says flying is too ........ It’s not safe enough.

9. I don’t like my apartment. It’s too small. It isn’t.......... enough.

10. The room is too ........... It isn’t bright enough. I can’t read my book.

11. I’m sorry, but your paragraph is too short. It isn’t ........ enough.

12. Thomas has to wash his car. It’s too ...........It’s not clean enough.

13. Don’t go to work. You’re too sick. You’re not _....... enough.

14. This box is too........... It isn’t light enough. I can’t lift it.

15. Jack’s house is too far. It’s not ......... enough. We’ll have to drive.