Grammar (2)
Too and enough
- Too (“too much”) goes before adjectives and adverbs; enough (“enough, sufficiently”) goes after adjectives and adverbs.
I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=very tired)
Slow down! You’re driving too fast.
Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=vey hot)
We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.
- “Too many”, “too much” and “enough” are also used before nouns.
a. “Too many” is used before countable nouns (e.g., eggs) and “too much” is used before uncountable nouns (e.g., salt).
I bought too many eggs. (= more eggs than needed = countable)
There’s too much salt in this soup. (= more salt than needed = uncauntable)
b. However, “enough” is used before both countable and uncountable nouns.
We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= we need more)
There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= we don’t need more)
“Too many,” “too much,” and “enough” can also be used on their own, without nouns.
“Is there enough salt in the soup?” “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”
We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.
- Compare very and too:
“Too” (unlike “very”) means “more than necessary” or “more than is considered right.” Compare:
She’s a good worker. She works very quickly
He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.
They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.
They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.
Too y enough
- Too (“massa”) va davant dels adjectius i adverbis; enough (“prou, suficientment”) va darrere dels adjectius i adverbis.
I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=massa cansat)
Slow down! You’re driving too fast.
Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=prou calent)
We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.
- També s’empren too many (massa), too much (massa) i enough (prou, suficient) davant de substantius.
a. Too many s’utilitza davant de substantius comptables (p. ex., eggs) i too much davant de substantius incomptables (p. ex., salt).
I bought too many eggs. (= masses ous)
There’s too much salt in this soup. (= massa sal)
b. Tanmateix, enough s’utilitza davant de substantius tant comptables com incomptables.
We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= suficients ous)
There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= suficient sal)
Too many, too much i enough també es poden utilitzar sols, sense substantius.
“Is there enough salt in the soup?” “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”
We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.
- Compara very i too:
Too (tot i que no very) té el significat de “més del necessari” o “més del que es considera correcte”. Compara:
She’s a good worker. She works very quickly
He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.
They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.
They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.
Too y enough
- Too (“demasiado”) va delante de adjetivos y adverbios; enough (“bastante, suficientemente) va detrás de adjetivos y adverbios.
I don’t think I’ll go out tonight. I’m too tired. (=demasiado cansado)
Slow down! You’re driving too fast.
Are you warm enough, or do you want me to turn on the heating? (=bastante caliente)
We aren’t working quickly enough. We’ better hurry.
- También se emplean too many (demasiados), too much (demasiado) y enough (bastante, suficiente) delante de sustantivos.
a. Se emplea too many delante de sustantivos contables, (p.ej., eggs) y too much delante de sustantivos incontables, (p.ej., salt)
I bought too many eggs. (= demasiados huevos)
There’s too much salt in this soup. (= demasiada sal)
b. Sin embargo, se emplea enough delante de sustantivos constables i incontables.
We can’t make an omelette. We haven’t got enough eggs. (= suficientes huevos)
There’s enough salt in the soup. It doesn’t need any more. (= suficiente sal)
Too many, too much y enough se puede emplear también por sí solos, sin sustantivos.
“Is there enough salt in the soup?” “There’s too much. I can’t eat it.”
We need more eggs. We haven’t got enough.
- Compara very y too:
Too (aunque no very) tiene el significado de “más de lo necesario” o “más de lo que se considera correcto”. Compara:
She’s a good worker. She works very quickly
He works too quickly and makes a lot of mistakes.
They arrived at the airport very late, but they caught their plane.
They arrived at the airport too late and missed their plane.