too, enough, so, such

• 12 too, enough, so, such

  12.1

  too and enough

  

  

  too and enough indicate degree, but their position and meaning differ:

  • too + adjective = "too..." (negative excess), placed before the adjective.
  • enough = "sufficient," placed after the adjective and before the noun.

  这This 咖啡coffee 是is 太too 烫hot.

  This coffee is too hot.

  他He 不够isn't 大old 足够enough （不定式）to 开车drive.

  He isn't old enough to drive.

  Note enough comes after the adjective (old enough) but before the noun (enough money).

  12.2

  so and such

  so and such both mean "so / such," used to intensify the tone:

  • so + adjective / adverb: so hot, so quickly.
  • such + (a/an) + (adjective) + noun: such a hot day.

  （冠词）The 电影film （是）was 如此so 无聊boring.

  That movie was so boring.

  （这）It 是was 如此such 一个a 好good 主意idea.

  That was really such a good idea.

  Note Follow so with an adjective (so good); follow such with a noun phrase (such a good idea).

  Common Errors

  • ❌ To praise "very happy" but say ~~I'm too happy!~~ → ✓ I'm so happy! — too carries a negative connotation ("excessively, to the point of being bad"); use so for praise and exclamation.
  • ❌ ~~The box is too much heavy.~~ → ✓ The box is much too heavy. — To intensify too, use much too; the word order is much first.
  • ❌ ~~The tea is too hot to drink it.~~ → ✓ The tea is too hot to drink. — In the too…to structure, the sentence subject serves as the object of drink, so do not write it.
  • ❌ ~~It was so a good idea.~~ → ✓ It was such a good idea. / The idea was so good. — If there is a noun, switch to such.

All topics · English Grammar · B1