Too hot, big enough: too and enough

Too: more than you want

Too means more than you want or need. There is a problem.

12

1. 1too hot to drink
2. 2cold enough to drink

The steaming drink is too hot to drink (a problem: you have to wait). The iced drink is cold enough to drink now.

• The coffee is too hot. (I can't drink it yet.)
• This bag is too expensive. (I can't buy it.)
• You're driving too fast! (It isn't safe.)

Add to + verb to say what the problem stops: I'm too tired to walk., The box is too big to carry.

Too or very?

Very only makes a word stronger. Too says there is a problem.

So the film was too good sounds strange if you loved it: say very good. A few polite phrases break the rule: You're too kind. Not too bad. With strong words like freezing, English says absolutely, not very: see gradable and ungradable adjectives.

Too much and too many

Before a noun, too needs much or many, as in quantifiers:

Enough: after an adjective, before a noun

Enough means as much as you need. Where it goes depends on the word with it:

Add to + verb for what it lets you do:

• She is old enough to drive.
• We have enough money to buy the tickets.

Not enough is the problem the other way: