Too and Enough: Expressing Degree in English (A2 Grammar) — A2 English grammar lesson by Langcom

Too and Enough: Expressing Degree in English (A2 Grammar)

Raúl Maguiña

Fondateur de Langcom | Examinateur pour les examens de Cambridge et du SIELE

septembre 7, 2026

A2✏️ Grammaire⏱️ 4 min de lecture📅 Updated septembre 2026
Too et enough are important words in English to talk about degree or quantity. Nous utilisons too when something is more than necessary or desired. For example, This coffee is too hot means it’s hotter than I want. We use enough when something is sufficient or the right amount. For instance, I have enough money means I have the correct amount. When we say not enough, it means something is less than necessary or desired, like I don’t have enough time. Understanding their correct placement in sentences, especially with adjectives, adverbs, and nouns, is key for clear communication at an A2 level.

What does ‘too’ mean in English?

Nous utilisons too to say that something is more than necessary, more than wanted, or more than possible.

  • It means ‘excessively’ or ‘more than sufficient’.
  • We always put too avant an adjective or an adverb.

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How do we use 'enough'?

Nous utilisons enough to say that something is sufficient, or the correct amount.

  • It means 'sufficiently' or 'as much as needed'.
  • We put enough after an adjective or an adverb.
  • We put enough avant a noun (countable or uncountable).

What about 'not enough'?

When we use not enough, it means something is less than necessary or less than wanted.

  • It expresses a lack of something.
  • The word order rules are the same as for enough: after an adjective/adverb, and avant a noun.

Word Order: 'Too' and 'Enough' Summary

The position of too et enough is very important. Look at these patterns:

Word Order for 'Too' and 'Enough'
Structure Exemple
too + adjective This coffee is too hot.
too + adverb You are driving too fast.
adjective + enough Are you warm enough?
adverb + enough He didn't run fast enough.
enough + noun We have enough chairs.
not + adjective + enough She isn't tall enough.
not + enough + noun There isn't enough water.

Exemples

  • This soup is too hot to eat.
  • He drives too fast.
  • Are you warm enough?
  • She isn't old enough to vote.
  • We have enough food for everyone.
  • There isn't enough space in this car.
  • I don't have enough time to finish this.

Entraînement

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Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers often make mistakes with the word order of enough, especially with adjectives.

  • Incorrect : I am enough strong.
  • Correct : I am strong enough. (Adjective + enough)

Remember that enough always comes AFTER adjectives and adverbs, but BEFORE nouns.

  • Incorrect : We have money enough.
  • Correct : We have enough money. (Enough + Noun)

Also, be careful not to confuse too with very. Very just means 'a lot', but too means 'more than is good or wanted'.

  • It's very cold. (Just a fact, it's very cold.)
  • It's too cold. (It's so cold that I can't do something, like go outside.)

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the main difference between 'too' and 'enough'?

The main difference is that too means 'more than necessary or desired', while enough means 'sufficient' or 'the right amount'. Not enough means 'less than necessary'.

Can I use 'too' with nouns?

No, we usually use too much with uncountable nouns (e.g., too much sugar) and too many with countable nouns (e.g., too many people). We use too directly before adjectives and adverbs.

Is the word order for 'too' and 'enough' always the same?

No, the word order changes. Too always comes avant adjectives and adverbs (e.g., too slow). Enough comes after adjectives and adverbs (e.g., slow enough) but avant nouns (e.g., enough time).

How might 'too' and 'enough' appear in the A2 Key exam?

In the A2 Key exam, you might see too et enough in Reading and Writing Part 6 (Open Cloze) or Part 7 (Word Transformation), where you need to complete sentences or rewrite them using these words correctly to express degree.

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À propos de l'auteur : Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña est le directeur de l'Asociación Educativa Langcom, un centre agréé de préparation à l'examen Cambridge English situé à votre pays. Fort de plus d'une décennie d'expérience dans l'enseignement des langues et les certifications internationales, il a aidé des milliers d'étudiants, d'enseignants et d'établissements d'enseignement dans 25 pays à obtenir les certifications d'anglais Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL et Michigan.

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