As much as we need
Enough tells us that the required amount has been reached. It need not be exactly the minimum: there may be more. Beside a noun, it identifies what we have a sufficient amount of.
When the required amount is unavailable, use the same construction in a negative sentence. It then describes a shortage, so enough is useful for both good news and bad news.
The library has enough computers for the whole class.
The library has enough computers for the whole class.
There are at least as many computers as the class needs; the sentence does not give an exact number.
The kitchen doesn't have enough light in the evening.
The kitchen doesn't have enough light in the evening.
The negative sentence tells us that the required amount is unavailable.
Where enough goes: before the noun
The usual everyday order is enough before the noun or the whole noun phrase, including its description: enough chairs, enough warm clothes.
Time enough and money enough also occur, particularly in literary or expressive language. For your own neutral sentences, enough time / enough money is a useful choice.
enough + (description) + noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
Take enough warm clothes for the mountains.
Take enough warm clothes for the mountains.
Enough begins the noun phrase, followed by the description and the noun itself.
The team collected enough signatures in one week.
The team collected enough signatures in one week.
The quantity word comes before the noun, rather than after it.
Countable and uncountable nouns
Enough works with both uncountable nouns (water, snow, light) and plural countable nouns (benches, tickets, cups). Enough itself does not change: there are no separate forms for these two noun types.
If the phrase with enough is the subject, or appears in a there is/are construction, its number determines agreement: enough chairs are, enough water is. If it is the object, the verb agrees with its own subject: He has enough chairs.
There are enough benches in the park for our group.
There are enough benches in the park for our group.
Benches is plural, so the verb is plural too.
There is enough snow for a snowman.
There is enough snow for a snowman.
Snow is not counted as individual items here, so the verb is singular.
Negatives and questions about sufficiency
To describe a shortage, we often make the verb negative: We don’t have enough chairs. Not enough can also come before the noun: Not enough people came. In both cases, the meaning is “less than we need”.
Form questions in the usual way: with do/does/did, or with the verb in a there construction. The order enough + noun stays the same in questions.
The office doesn't have enough parking for visitors.
The office doesn't have enough parking for visitors.
The negative applies to the verb have, rather than to the word enough.
Do you have enough helpers for Saturday?
Do you have enough helpers for Saturday?
In the question, enough stays together with its noun.
What for, and for whom?
After the construction, we often explain the purpose or intended recipient. Add a purpose using to and a verb; use for to introduce the intended use or recipient.
Both additions come after the noun, leaving enough + noun together. This addition sets the standard for sufficiency: there is enough for something specific, rather than enough in general.
We had enough petrol to reach the next town.
We had enough petrol to reach the next town.
The purpose phrase explains what the petrol was sufficient for.
The teacher printed enough copies for every student.
The teacher printed enough copies for every student.
For every student identifies the people for whom there are enough copies.
A specified noun, or no repeated noun
When the noun is specified by the, this, that, my, his or our, put enough of before it. Without such a determiner, of is unnecessary: use enough directly before the bare noun.
If the context already makes the meaning clear, you can omit the noun altogether. Enough then stands alone, and the sentence is still complete.
She has answered enough of my questions for today.
She has answered enough of my questions for today.
The determiner my requires of before it.
She offered more soup, but I already had enough.
She offered more soup, but I already had enough.
We do not repeat the noun: the situation makes the meaning clear.
The limits of this rule
This rule describes the position of enough beside a noun. With adjectives and adverbs, enough behaves differently and follows them. That is a separate topic; do not transfer that word order to nouns.
Enough does not itself express an excessive amount. It describes the amount we need, or a shortage in a negative sentence. English uses other expressions for “too much”.
We have enough blankets, but they are not warm enough.
We have enough blankets, but they are not warm enough.
Enough comes before the noun blankets, but after the adjective warm.
There isn't enough hot water in the morning.
There isn't enough hot water in the morning.
The negative describes a shortage, rather than an excessive amount.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:We haven't got enoughs seats for the choir.
Correct:We haven't got enough seats for the choir.
Enough has no separate plural form: enough seats, with no -s on enough.
Incorrect:There isn't enough chairs in the hall.
Correct:There aren't enough chairs in the hall.
Chairs is plural, so use a plural verb form. The position of enough stays the same.
Incorrect:Do we have enough of milk for the porridge?
Correct:Do we have enough milk for the porridge?
Do not use of before a noun without a determiner such as the, this or my.
Incorrect:The children drank enough the juice at lunch.
Correct:The children drank enough of the juice at lunch.
The determiner the requires of: enough of the juice.
Incorrect:No, thanks — I have eaten enough of.
Correct:No, thanks — I have eaten enough.
Without a noun, enough stands alone; there is nothing for a following of to introduce.
Incorrect:The nurse had enough bandages help everyone.
Correct:The nurse had enough bandages to help everyone.
A purpose after the noun is introduced by to and a verb.