Very, Enough, Not... Enough, Too

Target Structures:

very / enough / not… enough / too

Goal:

Use intensifiers and quantifiers accurately to describe degree, quantity, and limitation in real-life situations.

1. Warm-Up (3 min)

🗣️ Questions:

1. Do you think English is very difficult or just a little difficult?

2. Are you old enough to drive in your country?

3. What’s something you’re too busy to do these days?

💬 Sample answers:

I think English is very useful.
I’m old enough to travel alone.
I’m too tired to go out during the week.

🎯 Focus: introduce “very”, “enough”, and “too” in natural context.

2. Presentation (8 min)

A. Very → intensifier (before adjectives/adverbs)

✅ Use: to make adjectives/adverbs stronger.

She’s very tall.
He speaks very quickly.
❌ Not used before nouns alone (we say “a very nice person,” not “a very person”).

B. Enough → means “sufficient”

✅ Use:

• After adjectives/adverbs: adjective + enough

  He’s old enough to drive.

• Before nouns: enough + noun

  We have enough time to finish.

C. Not… Enough → insufficient

I’m not tall enough to reach the shelf.
We don’t have enough chairs for everyone.

D. Too → excessive / more than necessary

✅ Use: before adjectives or adverbs

It’s too cold to go swimming.
She speaks too fast for me to understand.

🧩 Compare:

• It’s very hot today. → strong, but OK.

• It’s too hot today. → uncomfortable or impossible.

E. Summary Table

ExpressionPositionMeaningExampleVerybefore adj/advstrong degreevery tallEnoughafter adj / before nounsufficientold enough / enough timeNot... enoughsame as “enough”insufficientnot big enough / not enough moneyToobefore adj/advexcessivetoo hot / too expensive

3. Controlled Practice (6 min)

Complete with very, enough, not… enough, or too.

1. The exam was ______ difficult — nobody passed!

2. I’m not strong ______ to lift this box.

3. We don’t have ______ chairs for everyone.

4. It’s ______ late to call him now.

5. She’s ______ young to get married.

6. The film was ______ interesting — I loved it!

7. There isn’t ______ time to cook dinner.

8. He isn’t tall ______ to reach the top shelf.

✅ Answers + Explanations

1. too → excessive difficulty.

2. enough → after adjective “strong”.

3. enough → before noun “chairs”.

4. too → “too late” = not possible now.

5. too → “too young” = not ready/appropriate.

6. very → positive intensifier.

7. enough (or not enough) → insufficient time.

8. enough → after adjective “tall”.

💬 Why others are wrong:

• Very doesn’t express limitation.

• Too implies excess; enough means sufficient — opposite ideas.

4. Interactive Practice (5 min)

Complete the sentences with your own ideas.

1. I’m not ______ good at…

2. It’s too ______ to…

3. I have enough ______ to…

4. My city is very ______ because…

5. There isn’t enough ______ in my house.

💬 Example:

I’m not good enough at cooking to make sushi.
It’s too hot to go running today.

5. Free Practice (4 min) — Engaging Questions

Answer and explain using very, enough, not… enough, or too.

1. What’s something that’s too expensive to buy right now?

2. Is your city big enough for everyone who lives there?

3. What are you very proud of?

4. Do you get enough sleep during the week?

5. What kind of weather is too cold or too hot for you?

6. Do you think technology is developing too quickly? Why or why not?

7. Are people in your country very polite in general?

🎯 Focus: natural production, comparisons, and reasoning.

6. Extra Discussion (3–4 min)

1. What are you not patient enough to do?

2. What do you do when you’re too tired to work?

3. What do you wish you had enough time for every day?

4. Who is someone very important in your life? Why?

💬 Encourage use of adjectives + modifiers in longer sentences.

7. Wrap-Up & Review (2 min)

🎯 Quick Recap:

• Very → strong degree (very good)

• Enough / not… enough → sufficient / insufficient (enough time / not tall enough)

• Too → excessive (too noisy / too late)

💬 Mini Challenge:
Say 3 sentences about your week using each of the four: very, enough, not… enough, too.