Printable Too Enough Exercises - 101 PDF Worksheets with Answers


Too vs Enough Printable PDF Worksheet Tests with Exercises and Answers

Access a collection of 101 printable PDF worksheets focusing on the English grammar topic of the too enough. Download fill-in-the-blank tests with exercises and answer keys for too vs enough to print for free. The activities in the sheets are suitable for kids, adults, ESL learners at the beginner, elementary, and intermediate levels to practice English grammar.

Too and Enough: Expressing Quantity and Degree

In English, too and enough are powerful modifiers used to express quantity and degree in various contexts. They play a crucial role in shaping the meaning and emphasis of sentences, helping us describe situations, conditions, and outcomes with precision. Whether used in comparative statements, positive or negative sentences, questions, or conditional statements, too and enough add depth and specificity to our language.

Using Too to Indicate Excess or Overabundance:

Too is a versatile word used to signify an excessive or overabundant amount of something, often beyond what is considered desirable or appropriate. It is used before adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs to emphasize that the quantity or degree is beyond what is needed or wanted. When too is used in this context, it implies that there is an undesirable surplus of something.

Examples:

The coffee is too hot to drink right now. (It is excessively hot and cannot be consumed immediately.)
She speaks too quickly, and it's hard to understand her. (Her speech is too rapid, making it difficult for others to comprehend.)
There are too many people in the room, making it difficult to move around. (The room is excessively crowded.)

Indicating Insufficiency with Too:

On the flip side, too can also be used to express insufficiency or a lack of a particular quantity or degree. In this context, too is often used in negative sentences, implying that there is not enough of something to fulfill a desired condition.

Examples:

The coffee isn't too hot to drink yet. (Meaning it is not hot enough to drink at this moment.)
He didn't run too fast to win the race. (Meaning he didn't run fast enough to secure a victory.)

Using Too for Emphasis:

Besides expressing excess or insufficiency, too can be employed to add emphasis to a statement, drawing attention to the extremeness of the situation or condition being described.

Example:

She was too tired to attend the party. (Emphasizing her extreme fatigue and inability to go to the party.)

Using Too with Infinitives and Gerunds:

Too is used with infinitives and gerunds to express an excessive degree of an action or activity, indicating that the action is carried out to an extent that may not be desirable or suitable.

Examples:

He was too excited to sleep. (His excitement prevented him from falling asleep.)
She spends too much time talking. (She dedicates an excessive amount of time to speaking.)

Comparing Quantities Using "Too Much" and "Too Many":

When we want to convey an excessive amount of something, we use "too much" with uncountable nouns and "too many" with countable nouns.

Examples:

There is too much sugar in the coffee. (An excessive quantity of sugar.)
There are too many cars on the road. (An excessive number of cars.)

Indicating Impossibility with Too:

Too can be used to indicate that something is not possible or cannot happen due to extreme circumstances.

Example:

The box is too heavy for me to lift. (It is impossible for me to lift the box due to its excessive weight.)

Expressing Limitations with Too:

Another application of too is to express limitations or restrictions, indicating that a specific condition cannot be met.

Example:

I'm sorry, but I have too much work to do today to attend the event. (I have a significant workload that prevents me from attending the event.)

Using Enough to Indicate Sufficiency:

In contrast to too, enough is used to express a sufficient or satisfactory quantity or degree of something. It indicates that a specific condition has been met or that there is an adequate amount of something to fulfill a desired outcome.

Examples:

She is old enough to drive a car. (Her age is sufficient to meet the legal requirement for driving.)
There is enough food for everyone. (The quantity of food available is adequate to satisfy all present.)

Using Enough for Emphasis:

Similar to too, enough can be used for emphasis, stressing that a specific quantity or degree is adequate or satisfactory.

Example:

I have studied enough for the exam; I'm confident I will do well. (I have studied a sufficient amount for the exam.)

Using Enough in Conditional Statements:

Enough can be used in conditional statements to indicate that a specific condition is sufficient to trigger an outcome.

Example:

If you study hard enough, you will pass the exam. (Studying hard to a sufficient degree guarantees success in the exam.)

Expressing Satisfaction with Enough:

Enough can also express satisfaction or contentment with a certain quantity or degree.

Example:

The cake is delicious; one piece is enough for me. (I am satisfied with only one piece of the delicious cake.)

Comparing Using "Too Little" and "Not Enough":

"Too little" and "not enough" are used to express an insufficient amount or degree of something.

Examples:

He drank too little water during the hike and became dehydrated. (He drank an inadequate amount of water.)
There was not enough time to complete the project. (The available time was insufficient to finish the project.)

Using Enough with Comparative Adjectives:

Enough can be used with comparative adjectives to express that a certain quantity or degree is sufficient when compared to others.

Example:

The small car is spacious enough for our family. (The small car meets the requirement for being spacious enough for our family.)

Using Enough with Superlative Adjectives:

Similarly, enough can be used with superlative adjectives to express that a specific quantity or degree is sufficient, even when compared to the highest degree.

Example:

She is the smartest in the class, but she doesn't study enough. (Even though she is the smartest, she does not study sufficiently.)

Indicating Possibility with Enough:

Enough can be used to express the possibility of a particular condition being met.

Example:

If you work hard enough, you might get a promotion. (Working hard to a sufficient degree increases the likelihood of getting a promotion.)

Too and Enough in Context with Desires:

Both too and enough can be used to express desires or wishes concerning a specific quantity or degree.

Examples:

I want too much ice cream! (I desire an excessive amount of ice cream.)
He doesn't want enough responsibility in his job. (He desires more responsibility than he currently has in his job.)

Using Enough to Describe Capabilities:

Enough can be used to qualify abilities or skills, expressing that someone has a sufficient level of proficiency in a particular area.

Example:

She is a skilled pianist; she plays well enough to perform in public. (Her piano-playing skills are sufficient to perform in front of an audience.)

Using Too and Enough with Adverbs of Degree:

Too and enough can modify adverbs of degree to express excessive or sufficient intensity.

Examples:

He runs too quickly; he might injure himself. (He runs at an excessive speed, which might lead to an injury.)
She speaks slowly enough for everyone to understand. (Her speech is slow to a sufficient degree, allowing everyone to comprehend.)

Comparing Using "Too Big/Small" and "Big/Small Enough":

"Too big/small" and "big/small enough" are used to compare objects or quantities regarding their size or degree.

Examples:

The shirt is too big for me; I need a smaller size. (The shirt is excessively large for me, necessitating a smaller size.)
The room is small enough for two people to share comfortably. (The room is of a sufficient size to accommodate two people comfortably.)

Indicating Dissatisfaction with Too:

Too can also be used to express dissatisfaction or discontentment with a particular quantity or degree.

Example:

The food was too spicy for my taste; I couldn't eat it. (The level of spiciness was excessive, causing me to be unable to consume the food.)

Using Enough to Describe Capabilities:

Enough can be used to qualify abilities or skills, expressing that someone has a sufficient level of proficiency in a particular area.

Example:

She is a skilled pianist; she plays well enough to perform in public. (Her piano-playing skills are sufficient to perform in front of an audience.)

Too and Enough with Countable and Uncountable Nouns:

Both too and enough can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Using Too with Countable Nouns:

There are too many books on the shelf. (An excessive number of books)
They have too few chairs for the guests. (An insufficient number of chairs)

Using Too with Uncountable Nouns:

There is too much sugar in my coffee. (An excessive amount of sugar)
He put too little effort into the project. (An insufficient amount of effort)

Using Enough with Countable Nouns:

There are enough chairs for everyone. (An adequate number of chairs)
We have enough pens for the team. (An adequate number of pens)

Using Enough with Uncountable Nouns:

There is enough water in the bottle. (An adequate amount of water)
She added enough sugar to the recipe. (An adequate amount of sugar)

In conclusion, too and enough are fundamental modifiers used to express quantity and degree in English. They are versatile words that can be used in various sentence structures, including positive and negative sentences, questions, and conditional statements. By understanding the distinctions between these two modifiers, language users can effectively convey their ideas, express desires or satisfaction, discuss limitations or possibilities, and compare quantities or degrees in a wide range of contexts. Whether describing excessive or insufficient amounts, expressing desires or contentment, discussing possibilities or impossibilities, or comparing degrees of proficiency, too and enough enhance the richness and precision of our language, making our communication more nuanced and compelling.