Grammar
Adverbs of degree: very, quite, too, and enough
The café was very busy, but not too busy to find a table. These small words change how strong your description is and whether a situation becomes a problem.
Use very, quite, too, and enough to show the right degree and meaning in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The suitcase is too heavy for me to carry alone. /ðə ˈsuːtkeɪs ɪz tuː ˈhevi fə miː tə ˈkæri əˈləʊn/
The short answer
Put very, quite, and too before an adjective or adverb: very useful, quite slowly, too late. Put enough after an adjective or adverb: useful enough, slowly enough. Use too when the amount creates a problem; use enough when the amount meets a need.
The room was too dark to read, but the lamp was bright enough to help.
Why it works: Too dark describes a problem. Bright enough describes a sufficient amount of light.
5 more examples
-
The instructions were very clear.
Very strengthens clear without suggesting that the instructions caused a problem.
Not this:The instructions were
too unclearto follow. What changes: Too unclear says that the lack of clarity made following the instructions impossible. -
The suitcase is too heavy for me to carry alone.
Too heavy means that the weight creates a problem for this task.
Not this:The suitcase is
light enoughfor me to carry alone. What changes: Light enough means that its weight meets the speaker's need. -
We arrived quite early for the appointment.
Quite early means fairly early in this ordinary time description.
Not this:We arrived
too earlyand the office was still closed. What changes: Too early means earlier than was useful for the appointment. -
The soup is warm enough to eat now.
Enough follows warm and says that the temperature meets the need for eating.
Not this:The soup is
very warmafter ten minutes. What changes: Very warm makes the description stronger but does not say whether the temperature is suitable. -
There are enough seats for everyone.
Enough comes before the noun seats and says that the number meets the need.
Not this:There are
too fewseats for everyone. What changes: Too few says that the number is insufficient and creates a problem.
Read the full guide
Choose the meaning before you choose the word. Do you simply want to strengthen an adjective? Use very. Do you mean fairly, or in some contexts completely? Quite may fit. Do you mean that there is more than is acceptable? Use too. Do you mean that the amount meets a need? Use enough. Then check the word order, especially with enough.
Choose the meaning first
The problem: I know several degree words, but I choose one without checking what it says about the situation.
These words answer different questions. Very asks how strong a quality is. Quite often means fairly. Too asks whether the degree has passed an acceptable limit. Enough asks whether there is the amount needed. The same adjective can take different words because each word gives a different message.
Very makes a quality strong.
The report was very useful.
Too says that the quality causes a problem.
The report was too long to read before lunch.
Use very to make a description stronger
The problem: I use too when I only want to say that something is strongly true.
Use very before a gradable adjective or adverb when you want a strong description. Very does not usually mean that the situation is bad, difficult, or impossible. It simply raises the degree of the word that follows it.
-
The new colleague is very friendly.
Why it works: Very strengthens the positive description friendly.
-
Please drive very carefully on this road.
Why it works: Very can also strengthen an adverb.
-
Not this:
The movie was too good.Say: The movie was very good.
Use very when you mean strongly good. Too good needs a context where being good causes a problem or seems excessive.
-
Not this:
She speaks too clearly.Say: She speaks very clearly.
Very clearly gives a strong positive description without an unwanted result.
Use quite for degree in context
The problem: I assume quite always has the same strength as very.
Quite often means fairly or rather, especially with ordinary gradable adjectives such as busy, small, and expensive. With some strong or absolute adjectives, quite can mean completely. The full phrase helps you understand which meaning is intended.
Quite busy often means fairly busy.
The store was quite busy on Saturday.
Quite certain can mean completely certain.
I am quite certain that I locked the door.
Which word shows a moderate degree in this sentence: The route is quite long, but we can walk it?
Quite shows the degree. Here it means fairly long, and the second part says that the route is still manageable.
Use too when the degree causes a problem
The problem: I use too as a stronger form of very, even when there is no negative result.
Use too before an adjective or adverb when the degree is more than the situation allows. Too can explain why an action cannot happen or why something is unsuitable. Look for a reason, limit, or unwanted result in the rest of the sentence.
The adjective comes after too.
This box is too large to fit in the car.
The adverb comes after too.
He spoke too quietly for us to hear.
Put enough in the right place
The problem: I put enough before every word because I know it means a sufficient amount.
Enough changes position. Put it after an adjective or adverb: fast enough, comfortable enough, and carefully enough. Put it before a noun: enough water, enough time, and enough information. This word order is one of the main differences between enough and the other degree words in this lesson.
| What follows enough | Correct order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| an adjective | adjective + enough | The chair is comfortable enough. |
| an adverb | adverb + enough | She explained it slowly enough. |
| a noun | enough + noun | We have enough information. |
-
Not this:
The water is enough warm to swim in.Say: The water is warm enough to swim in.
Enough follows the adjective warm.
-
Not this:
We have chairs enough for the group.Say: We have enough chairs for the group.
In ordinary modern English, enough comes before the noun chairs.
Make a fast choice in context
The problem: I can remember the rules separately, but I need to choose quickly when I am speaking.
Use a short check. First, ask whether you mean strength, a moderate degree, an excess, or a sufficient amount. Next, check what word comes after the degree word. Finally, look for a result that shows a problem or a purpose. This process helps you choose both the meaning and the word order.
Choose the forms: The screen is ___ bright to use outside, but the battery is not strong ___.
Use too bright and strong enough. The brightness creates a problem outside. The battery needs to reach a sufficient level.
Before you go
Remember this
Use very to make a description stronger. Use quite for a moderate degree, or for a complete meaning with some adjectives. Use too for more than is wanted or possible. Put enough after an adjective or adverb, but before a noun. Check whether the sentence describes a problem or a sufficient amount.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Adverbs of degree: very, quite, too, and enough"
What is the difference between very and too?
Very makes an adjective or adverb stronger without saying that it is a problem. Too means more than is wanted, possible, or suitable in the situation. The instructions were very clear is positive, while The suitcase is too heavy for me to carry alone shows a limit.
The instructions were very clear.
Where does enough go in a sentence?
Put enough after an adjective or adverb: warm enough and slowly enough. Put enough before a noun: enough seats and enough time. The soup is warm enough to eat now shows the adjective pattern.
The instructions were too unclear to follow.
Can quite mean very?
Quite often means fairly with ordinary gradable adjectives, as in We arrived quite early for the appointment. With some strong adjectives, quite can mean completely. The meaning depends on the adjective, the context, and sometimes the speaker's variety of English.
The suitcase is too heavy for me to carry alone.
Can I say too good when I mean very good?
Usually, use very good when you simply mean strongly good. Too good suggests that being good is excessive or causes a problem, so it needs a suitable context. Too is not a general replacement for very.
The suitcase is light enough for me to carry alone.
What does too plus an adjective and to mean?
Too plus an adjective followed by to often explains why an action cannot happen. The instructions were too unclear to follow means that the lack of clarity prevented the reader from following them.
We arrived quite early for the appointment.