Too vs. Enough
“Too” expresses excess, while “enough” expresses sufficiency. They also occupy different common positions: “too” normally comes before adjectives and adverbs, while “enough” follows them but comes before nouns.
“Too” means more than is acceptable or needed; “enough” means sufficient. Compare “too cold” with “warm enough” and “enough time.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / position | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| more than is acceptable or needed | too + adjective/adverb | Use “too” before the quality or degree that is excessive. |
| sufficient degree | adjective/adverb + enough | Place “enough” after the adjective or adverb. |
| sufficient quantity | enough + noun | Place “enough” before the noun. |
Quick tests
Excess-or-sufficiency test
Does the sentence mean more than is acceptable, or merely sufficient?
If yes: For excess, use “too”; for sufficiency, use “enough” in the position required by what it modifies.
If no: Recheck the intended degree or quantity before choosing the form.
Caveat: The choice is semantic as well as positional: “too” expresses excess, while “enough” expresses sufficiency.
Examples
The water is too cold to swim in comfortably.
“Too” comes before the adjective and marks an excessive degree.
The water is warm enough for a short swim.
“Enough” follows the adjective when it marks sufficient degree.
We have enough time to check the figures again.
“Enough” comes before the noun when it marks sufficient quantity.
Further guidance
Degree Boundary
Too marks excess; enough marks sufficiency.
Position Boundary
Their positions differ: “too hot” but “hot enough,” while “enough time” places enough before a noun.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Too — English Grammar Today (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Too for excess and its position before adjectives/adverbs
- Enough — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Enough for sufficient quantity or degree and its common positions