English has a small set of words that talk about degree, how much of a quality there is, and about the result that degree leads to. So, such, too and enough do most of that work. They look simple, and the ideas behind them are simple, but each one sits in a fixed place in the sentence, and putting it in the wrong place is one of the most common mistakes learners make. This guide sorts out what each word means and, just as importantly, where it goes.

So and such

So and such both make something stronger, the way very does. The whole difference between them is what they attach to.

So goes with an adjective or an adverb on its own.

She is so tall. He ran so quickly. I am so tired.

There is no noun after the describing word. So sits in front of the adjective (tall, tired) or the adverb (quickly) and makes it stronger.

Such goes with a noun, usually with an adjective in front of the noun.

He is such a tall man. It was such nice weather. They are such kind people.

Notice that a noun is doing the work: man, weather, people. Such wraps around the whole noun phrase, adjective and all.

So the test is quick. Is there a noun in the phrase? Use such. Only an adjective or adverb, with no noun? Use so. So beautiful but such a beautiful garden. So cold but such a cold day.

Such a, or just such?

Such changes shape depending on the noun. With a singular countable noun, you need a or an: such a good film, such an easy question. With a plural noun or an uncountable noun, you drop the article: such good films, such bad weather, such nice people. The a belongs to the singular noun, not to such, so it disappears when the noun does.

So...that and such...that

Both words can lead into a result. The pattern names the degree, then that introduces what the degree caused.

I was so tired that I slept for ten hours. (so + adjective + that)

It was such a good film that we watched it twice. (such a + noun phrase + that)

The rule for choosing between them is exactly the same as before: so with an adjective or adverb, such with a noun. In speech, the word that is often left out: I was so tired I slept for ten hours sounds completely natural.

Too

Too means more than you want or more than you need. This is the point that matters most: too always signals a problem. It is not just a strong very; it carries a complaint.

The coffee is too hot. (hotter than is comfortable, I cannot drink it)

There is too much noise. (more noise than I want)

There are too many people. (more people than the room can hold)

Note the split with quantities. Too much goes with uncountable nouns (too much noise, too much sugar), and too many goes with plural countable nouns (too many people, too many mistakes). With an adjective or adverb, plain too does the job: too hot, too slowly.

Too also joins with to to show a result, the same way so joins with that.

I am too tired to walk. (so tired that I cannot walk)

The box is too heavy to lift. (so heavy that lifting is impossible)

Too is not very

This is the classic trap. Very simply makes an adjective stronger and passes no judgement. Too says there is a problem.

The tea is very hot. It is hot to a high degree, and it might be exactly how you like it.

The tea is too hot. It is hotter than you want, so you cannot drink it yet.

Very hot could be a good thing. Too hot never is. If you only mean a strong hot, use very. Save too for when the amount is a problem.

Enough

Enough means the right amount, neither too little nor too much. It is the positive middle between not enough and too much. The tricky part is its position, which changes depending on what it goes with.

After an adjective or adverb:

The room is big enough. He is not fast enough. You are old enough.

Here enough comes after the describing word: big enough, not enough big.

Before a noun:

We have enough money. There are enough chairs. I do not have enough time.

Here enough comes before the noun: enough money, not money enough.

So enough swaps sides depending on its partner. It follows an adjective or adverb but leads a noun. Like the others, it also pairs with to for a result.

She is old enough to drive. We have enough money to buy the tickets. He was strong enough to lift it.

Master table

Common mistakes

Ranked by how often learners actually make them.

1. Too instead of very. This film is too good means the film is a problem, too good in some unwanted way. If you loved it, you mean this film is very good. Only reach for too when the amount is genuinely too much: too expensive, too loud, too late.
2. So instead of such (and the reverse). It was so a nice day is wrong because there is a noun (day), so you need such: it was such a nice day. Going the other way, she is such tall is wrong because tall is an adjective with no noun: she is so tall.
3. Enough in the wrong place. Enough after a noun or before an adjective both sound off. I have money enough should be I have enough money, and the box is enough big should be the box is big enough. Remember: after the adjective, before the noun.
4. The a in such a. With a singular countable noun the article is easy to drop: it was such nice film should be it was such a nice film. And with plurals or uncountables the article should not be there at all: such a good people should be such good people.
5. Too much and too many mixed up. Too much people should be too many people, because people is countable. Keep too much for uncountable nouns (too much traffic) and too many for things you can count (too many cars).

Practice

Choose the best word to complete each sentence. Answers are below.

1. It was ___ a good book that I read it in one day.
2. The soup is ___ hot to eat right now.
3. She is not tall ___ to reach the top shelf.
4. There were ___ many people at the party.
5. He speaks ___ fast that I cannot understand him.

Answers: 1. such (a noun, book, follows) 2. too (a problem, you cannot eat it) 3. enough (after the adjective tall, plus to) 4. too (more than wanted, countable people) 5. so (an adverb, fast, with no noun).