Using 'enough'

Using 'enough'

Do you know how to use the word enough? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how enough is used.

She's not old enough to walk yet.
We are not acting fast enough to stop climate change.
I don't read enough.
Is there enough coffee for everyone?
We've had enough of their lies.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

'enough': Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

enough means 'as much as necessary'. It can be used with an adjective, an adverb, a verb or a noun. It can also act as a pronoun.

With adjectives and adverbs

enough comes after adjectives and adverbs.

I'm not tall enough to reach the top shelf.
Your marks are good enough to study engineering at university.
I couldn't write quickly enough and I ran out of time.
I've helped at conferences often enough to know what can go wrong.

With verbs

enough comes after verbs.

I make sure I drink enough during the day.
I don't read enough but I'm going to start downloading books to my phone. 

With nouns

enough comes before nouns.

There isn't enough bread to make sandwiches.
Have you got enough money?

As a pronoun

enough can also be used without a noun. 

I'll get some more chairs. There aren't enough.
A: Do you want more coffee? B: No, I've had enough, thanks.

We know what the noun is because of the context.

With an adjective and a noun

When enough is used with an adjective and a noun, two positions are possible but the meaning changes.

We haven't got big enough envelopes. 
We haven't got enough big envelopes.

When enough is after the adjective (big enough envelopes), it describes the adjective – the envelopes are too small. When enough is before the adjective (enough big envelopes), it describes the noun phrase – we have some big envelopes, but we need more.

enough of

We normally only use enough of when it is followed by a determiner or a pronoun (a/an/the, this/that, my/your/his, you/them, etc.).

There isn't enough of that bread to make sandwiches for everyone.
I've seen enough of his work to be able to recommend him.
There's enough of us to make a difference.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

'enough': Grammar test 2

Language level

Average: 4.4 (37 votes)

Hi GiulianaAndy,

The first way is correct! The structure is: want (somebody) to (do something).

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Profile picture for user Ahmed Imam

Submitted by Ahmed Imam on Sun, 30/05/2021 - 05:58

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Hello. Is the following sentence correct? - I have drunk enough of juice. Thank you.

Hi Ahmed Imam,

It should be enough juice (without of). But, if you use a determiner or a pronoun (e.g. enough of the juice / enough of it), of is needed.

Jonathan

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Deepika kaushal on Sun, 18/04/2021 - 22:48

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I have’not had enough food

Submitted by lucrecia on Mon, 08/03/2021 - 02:48

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Many thanks for this lesson, it was very well.

Submitted by Zuu on Thu, 18/02/2021 - 17:31

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I haven't got beautiful enough flowers for the occasion. I haven't got enough beautiful flowers for the occasion. You should have some more snacks. I've had enough. Thanks. I have seen enough of his skills. He is qualified for this job.

Submitted by BETSY on Wed, 17/02/2021 - 23:23

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I really love to do this exercises!

Submitted by Andre Luiz Rib… on Mon, 07/12/2020 - 20:40

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This content was good enough to have an enough knowledge about it. Lol

Submitted by Drenusha on Sun, 29/11/2020 - 16:56

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Hi there, I wanted to ask about this past: I haven't got _____ time to start a new hobby. enough free time free enough time enough of free time is it right to have the word time to times. As there are three options with ending time to connect with word time. I hope I was clear. I tried though. Thanks