So, such, too, enough
How so and such strengthen a description, how too and enough judge an amount against a limit, and where each word sits in the sentence.
When you use it
So and such make a description stronger, often with a result attached: It was so cold that the lake froze. Too and enough compare an amount with what is needed: too means more than is acceptable, enough means as much as is needed. The four words are grouped together because they share a problem: each one has a fixed position that does not match its Ukrainian or Russian equivalent.
How it is formed
So goes before an adjective or adverb on its own. Such goes before a noun phrase, with or without an adjective, and takes a/an when the noun is singular and countable.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| so + adjective | so + adj | The soup is so hot. |
| so + adverb | so + adv | He drives so fast. |
| so + quantity | so many / so much / so few / so little + noun | so many people, so much noise |
| such + singular countable | such + a/an (+ adj) + noun | such a long day |
| such + plural or uncountable | such (+ adj) + noun | such nice people, such bad weather |
| result clause | so / such ... that + clause | It was so late that we took a taxi. |
Too goes before an adjective or adverb, and too much or too many before a noun. Enough is the odd one out: it follows adjectives and adverbs but comes before nouns.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| too + adjective or adverb | too + adj / adv | This coat is too small. |
| too + quantity | too much / too many + noun | too much sugar, too many cars |
| adjective + enough | adj + enough | The water isn't warm enough. |
| enough + noun | enough + noun | Do we have enough chairs? |
| with a purpose | too / enough + to + verb | It's too late to call. He's old enough to vote. |
| with a person | too / enough + for + someone | The box is too heavy for me. |
Why the two positions of enough: historically enough behaved like an adverb after adjectives (big enough) and like a determiner before nouns (enough money). The two uses survived side by side.
Examples
- The soup is so hot that I can't eat it.
- It was such a long day.
- Anna has such patience with children.
- There were so many people at the station that we missed the train.
- This coat is too small for me.
- It's too late to call Tom now.
- The water isn't warm enough to swim in.
- Do we have enough chairs for everyone?
In everyday speech so and such often appear without a result clause, simply to show feeling: It was such a nice evening. In writing, adding that and a consequence makes the sentence more precise and is usually the better choice.
Common mistakes
- ✗ It was so good film.
✓ It was such a good film. / ✓ The film was so good.
Ukrainian and Russian use one word, такий / такой, before an adjective alone and before an adjective with a noun (фільм такий гарний and такий гарний фільм; фильм такой хороший and такой хороший фильм). English splits the job: so for an adjective by itself, such when a noun follows. - ✗ We had such a bad weather.
✓ We had such bad weather.
Weather is uncountable, so no a. The article inside such a belongs to the noun, not to such, and appears only where a singular countable noun would take it anyway. - ✗ I am too happy today.
✓ I am very happy today.
Too is not a stronger very. It always means more than is good or possible, so too happy implies a problem. The confusion is understandable because too also means "also"; the intensifier meaning does not exist. Use very, really or so. - ✗ The room is enough big for a party.
✓ The room is big enough for a party.
Russian and Ukrainian put достаточно / досить before the adjective. English puts enough after adjectives and adverbs and before nouns only. - ✗ He is too young for drive.
✓ He is too young to drive.
After too and enough a verb takes the to-infinitive. For is used before a person (too young for this job, too heavy for me), not before a verb.
Try it
- It was ___ cold day that the school closed. (so / such a)
- The bag is ___ heavy for me to carry. (too / enough)
- Is the coffee strong ___? (too / enough)
- There was ___ much traffic that we were late. (so / such)
- Anna is ___ old ___ vote this year. (add two words)