Too, Enough, So, Such

Four English words — too, enough, so, and such — express degree or result. Each follows a specific pattern: the wrong word order or the wrong choice between them is one of the most common B1-level mistakes.

Two of these words signal excess or sufficiency: too means more than wanted, enough means the right amount. The other two intensify meaning and often introduce a result: so works with adjectives and adverbs, such works with noun phrases.

Too

Too means "more than necessary" or "more than is good." It almost always carries a negative implication — something is excessive.

Too + adjective / adverb + to-infinitive

When the excess leads to a consequence, add to + verb after the adjective or adverb.

Too + adjective + for + person + to-infinitive

When you need to say who is affected by the excess, insert for + person before the infinitive.

Too vs very

A frequent confusion: very is neutral intensity, too is negative excess.

If you can replace the word with excessively and the sentence still makes sense, use too. If you simply mean a lot, use very.

Enough

Enough means "as much as needed" — sufficient, adequate. Its position in the sentence depends on what it modifies.

After adjectives and adverbs

When enough modifies an adjective or adverb, it comes after that word.

Before nouns

When enough modifies a noun, it comes before that noun — like a regular quantifier.

This split — after adjectives, before nouns — is the key pattern to remember. Getting it backwards (enough old, time enough) is a classic mistake.

Enough + to-infinitive

Like too, the word enough connects naturally to an infinitive that shows the result of having a sufficient amount.

So

So intensifies adjectives and adverbs. It works with single descriptive words, not with noun phrases.

So ... that (result clause)

When the intensity leads to a specific result, add that + clause. The word that is often dropped in spoken English, but both forms are correct.

So + much / many / little / few

Before the quantifiers much, many, little, and few, use so — not such.

The usual countable/uncountable rules apply: many and few with plural nouns, much and little with uncountable nouns.

Such

Such intensifies noun phrases — it works with nouns, usually with an adjective in front. Grammatically, such is a determiner, not an adverb, but it forms a natural pair with so because both express a high degree.

Such + (a/an) + adjective + noun

With singular countable nouns, a or an comes after such.

With plural or uncountable nouns, there is no article.

Such ... that (result clause)

Like so ... that, the such ... that pattern links intensity to a result.

Such + noun (without adjective)

When such appears directly before a noun with no adjective, it emphasizes the nature or type of the noun — often as a judgment.

The so / such split

The core rule fits in one line:

• so + adjective or adverb (no noun): so cold, so quickly
• such + noun phrase: such a cold day, such interesting people

If a noun follows, use such. If no noun follows, use so.

Common mistakes

Too vs very

Word order with enough

So where such is needed

Such where so is needed

Missing "that" awareness