“Too … to” / “enough to”

Too means more than is needed or OK (often so you can't do something); enough means as much as is needed. They go in different places:

To say who does it, add for + object before the to-verb: too heavy for me to carry.

• The box was too heavy for me to carry.

• Is the water warm enough to swim in?

💡Watch the position: enough goes after an adjective or adverb (old enough, fast enough) but before a noun (enough money, enough time).

1. too: more than is OK, so something isn't possible or isn't good

• I'm too tired to cook tonight.

• I got up too late to catch the bus.

2. not … enough: less than is needed

• My son is only fifteen, so he isn't old enough to drive.

• He didn't run fast enough to catch the bus.

3. enough: as much as is needed — it's OK

• She's old enough to decide for herself.

• Is the room big enough for 30 people?

4. With nouns: enough / too much / too many — enough can also stand alone: I've had enough.

• We don't have enough time to see everything today.

• I drank too much coffee this morning.

• There are too many tourists here in summer.

• No more rice for me — I've had enough, thanks.

To make too stronger or softer, use much too / far too or a bit / a little too — not too much before an adjective.

• These jeans are much too small for me now.

• It's a bit too expensive to eat there every day.

💡Too usually has a negative meaning — more than is good. To praise something, use so or really: This is so good! (Set phrases like You're too kind are an exception.)

When the subject of the sentence is also the thing the to-verb acts on (the tea = the thing you drink), don't repeat it at the end. If the verb needs a preposition (swim in, sit on), keep the preposition.

• The tea is too hot to drink.

  not: to drink it

• The water was too cold to swim in.

If the sentence starts with It (an empty subject), keep the object. After too / enough, use the to-verb — not -ing or for + -ing.

• It's too dangerous to swim in this river.

  not: too dangerous swimming

• My daughter is too young to go to school.

  not: for going

• ✗He is enough old to vote.

  ✓He is old enough to vote.

  Enough goes after the adjective.

• ✗It was very cold to go swimming.

  ✓It was too cold to go swimming.

  You couldn't do it → too, not very.

• ✗The tea is too hot to drink it.

  ✓The tea is too hot to drink.

  Don't repeat it — the tea is the thing you drink.

• ✗It's too much expensive to eat there every day.

  ✓It's too expensive to eat there every day.

  Before an adjective use too (or much too), not too much.

• ✗This jacket is too small to me to wear.

  ✓This jacket is too small for me to wear.

  The person → for + object.

• ✗We don't have enough of money.

  ✓We don't have enough money.

  Enough + noun; enough of is only for the/my/them…