1. Enough means “as much as is needed” and follows the adjective
Enough answers the question “Is it sufficient?” It shows that the required level has been reached; the quality may also exceed the minimum. Very and really simply intensify a quality without setting this threshold of sufficiency.
When enough modifies an adjective, it comes AFTER it: first name the quality, then say it is sufficient. When the adjective describes the thing or person itself, the order enough + adjective is not possible in this pattern, even if the equivalent expression in another language comes before the adjective. Enough comes first in a different role, when it measures quantity in a noun phrase: enough warm clothes means a sufficient quantity of warm clothing. The final section explains this boundary.
adjective + enough
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The kitchen is warm enough.
The kitchen is warm enough.
Warm names the quality; enough shows that there is sufficient warmth for a need understood from the context.
Ihor is old enough to open his own account.
Ihor is old enough to open his own account.
Ihor meets the age requirement. The sentence does not guarantee that he meets every other condition for opening an account.
The screen is bright enough to read in the sun.
The screen is bright enough to read in the sun.
The point is not that the screen is very bright in general, but that it is sufficiently bright specifically for use in sunlight.
2. Sufficient for what: enough + to + verb
Adjective + enough is often followed by to and the base form of a verb. This part names the action made possible by the sufficient degree of the quality.
The order is fixed: adjective first, then enough, then to. The verb after to has no endings: to hold, to carry, to reach.
adjective + enough + to + base form of verb
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V1 / base form —
- The base verb without to: work, go, be.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The bench is strong enough to hold three people.
The bench is strong enough to hold three people.
To hold names the action for which the strength is sufficient. Without this continuation, the purpose must be understood from context.
The parcel was light enough to carry in one hand.
The parcel was light enough to carry in one hand.
In the past tense, only was changes; light enough and the continuation to carry keep their positions.
Is the ladder long enough to reach the roof?
Is the ladder long enough to reach the roof?
In the question, only is moves to the front; long enough to reach stays together.
3. Sufficient for whom: enough + for
To name the person or thing for which something is sufficient, put for after enough: adjective + enough + for + noun or pronoun.
You can combine both continuations: first for + person, then to + action. The sentence then shows both who the sufficiency concerns and the action itself.
adjective/adverb + enough + for + person or thing (+ to + verb)
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
- adverb —
- A word adding information about an action, quality or circumstance: slowly, very, often.
This bag is big enough for my laptop.
This bag is big enough for my laptop.
For my laptop names the relevant thing directly; without this continuation, the purpose may be understood from the conversation.
The path is wide enough for two bicycles.
The path is wide enough for two bicycles.
The width is sufficient for two bicycles in the situation being discussed; the sentence does not specify whether they are stationary or moving.
He speaks slowly enough for me to follow.
He speaks slowly enough for me to follow.
First comes for me, identifying who the pace is sufficient for; then to follow, identifying the action made possible.
4. When it is insufficient: not … enough
Put the negative with the verb rather than next to enough: is not / isn't, was not / wasn't, do not / don't. Adjective + enough stays together.
Not … enough means that the required level has not been reached. There may be a small amount of the quality or none at all: the construction itself does not specify the exact amount.
subject + is/are/was + not + adjective + enough
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
The tea isn't sweet enough.
The tea isn't sweet enough.
The sweetness is below the level the speaker wants. We do not know whether any sugar has been added at all.
The old lamp is bright enough for the table, but it is not bright enough for the whole room.
The old lamp is bright enough for the table, but it is not bright enough for the whole room.
The same quality can be sufficient for one need and insufficient for another: sufficiency is always assessed against a purpose.
5. The same rule applies after adverbs
When we assess how an action is performed rather than a quality of an object, enough follows the adverb: speak clearly enough, run fast enough, work quietly enough.
It is easy to reverse the order if the equivalent of “sufficiently” comes before the descriptive word in another language. In English, enough follows the adverb: loudly enough, quietly enough. The order matters.
verb + adverb + enough
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- adverb —
- A word adding information about an action, quality or circumstance: slowly, very, often.
She sings loudly enough for the back row.
She sings loudly enough for the back row.
Loudly describes the singing, and enough immediately after it shows that the volume is sufficient even at the back of the room.
The children walked quietly enough past the sleeping baby.
The children walked quietly enough past the sleeping baby.
Quietly describes how they walked; enough follows the adverb rather than preceding it.
6. Questions: is it sufficient?
In a question, the relevant verb moves before the subject: is, are, was, can or do. Adjective + enough keeps its position after the subject.
Give a short answer, such as Yes, it is. / No, it isn't., or repeat the complete construction.
Is/Are/Was + subject + adjective + enough (+ to + verb)?
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
Are the seats comfortable enough for a long flight?
Are the seats comfortable enough for a long flight?
The question order only changes the position of are; comfortable enough stays together after the subject.
Can you hear me well enough at the back?
Can you hear me well enough at the back?
With modal can, the internal order is unchanged too: well enough stays together.
7. Boundaries: enough before a noun and too before an adjective
Enough goes before a noun: enough chairs, enough water. Its position therefore depends on what it modifies: a quality takes enough after it, whereas a quantity of things takes enough before the noun.
Do not confuse enough with too. Too + adjective expresses excess, while adjective + enough expresses sufficiency. They make different statements about a situation.
Both neighbouring topics, enough before a noun and too before an adjective, have their own rules in the catalogue. They appear here only to help you avoid mistakes with the position of enough.
There are enough chairs for the whole class.
There are enough chairs for the whole class.
Enough comes before the noun chairs. This is a separate topic, included here only to contrast with adjective + enough.
This coat is too thin, so it is not warm enough for December.
This coat is too thin, so it is not warm enough for December.
One situation, two different statements: too thin describes excessive thinness, while not warm enough describes insufficient warmth.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:He is enough tall to reach the shelf.
Correct:He is tall enough to reach the shelf.
When enough specifies the degree of tall, it follows the adjective: tall enough. Enough before an adjective and noun can specify quantity, but that is a different pattern.
Incorrect:The water is not enough warm for the baby.
Correct:The water is not warm enough for the baby.
The negative not comes before the adjective, but enough still follows warm. Not does not split warm enough; it comes between the verb and that phrase.
Incorrect:She runs enough fast to catch the bus.
Correct:She runs fast enough to catch the bus.
The same rule applies to an adverb: fast first, then enough. Do not reverse this order by copying the position of an equivalent expression in another language.
Incorrect:This box is big enough for carry the books.
Correct:This box is big enough to carry the books.
Before the base form carry, this pattern requires to. For can introduce a person, as in for me to carry, or a separate -ing construction, but not the bare form carry.
Incorrect:This coat is warm enough me.
Correct:This coat is warm enough for me.
Before a person or thing, use the preposition for; without it, the sentence has two unconnected parts.
Incorrect:My cousin is old enough travel alone.
Correct:My cousin is old enough to travel alone.
To is required between enough and the verb: it introduces the action that becomes possible.