How to Use "Enough" as an Adjective, Pronoun and Adverb
"Enough" is a word that is used very often in everyday conversation, so understanding its different forms will give your English skills a big boost. This article will cover the basic usage in detail and also introduce some common expressions that use it. Let's get started!
Enough as an adjective
We'll begin with the adjective usage. As an adjective, enough means "necessary" or "sufficient" and is usually placed before a noun.
I don't think I have enough eggs to make pancakes.
Here, "enough eggs" means the necessary amount of eggs.
It's OK, we have enough time to get to the station.
If the train leaves one hour from now, but the station is only 20 minutes away, the speaker has the time they need to arrive for their train.
Is there enough room for everyone?
In other words, this means "Does everyone have the necessary space?" Once again, notice that enough appears before a noun.
Enough as a pronoun
When used as a pronoun, the nuance is "no more is needed." Unlike the adjective usage, the pronoun enough is generally used alone.
Waiter
Would you like more wine?
Jenny
No, thank you. I've had enough.
I've had enough of your bad attitude!
In some cases, like in the above example, enough has a nuance of "too much." It's often used in negative situations when the speaker is annoyed or angry because they have experienced too much of something bad. Here's another example:
That's enough! Put away your phone and go to bed now!
Enough as an adverb
As an adverb, enough means "as much as is necessary." This usage is placed after the word it modifies, like in the example below.
My car isn't big enough for all six of you.
In other words, the car is not as big as it needs to be for everyone to ride.
He speaks English fluently enough to work overseas.
Here, enough modifies "fluently." In this example, "fluently enough" is another way to say "as fluent as is needed" to work overseas.
Expressions with enough
Enough appears in many different English expressions. Here are a few examples.
Enough is enough
This expression is a stronger version of the negative pronoun usage we introduced earlier in the article. It's used when someone is angry over a situation that has continued for too long.
For example, at Black Lives Matter rallies and demonstrations, you can often see signs that say "Enough is enough." Demonstrators are angry with the fact that African American people are being killed, mostly by police officers.
*Black Lives Matter is an international social movement with the goal of ending violence and racism against African Americans.
The price of gas and groceries just keeps going higher. Enough is enough!
Enough said
This short expression means that there is no need to say more about a topic because it is clear and easy to understand. It's often used as a reply.
Sarah
I don't know her salary, but she only flies first class.
James
Enough said.
Sometimes it's shortened to just "'Nuff said," which is much more casual.
Seiko
Did you have a nice vacation?
Sam
I just relaxed on the beach and ate delicious food. 'Nuff said!
Fair enough
You can use this expression to agree with someone's idea or suggestion.
Ben
I don't think we should buy the expensive one.
Mila
Fair enough, let's get the cheaper one.
Oddly enough
This expression is used when the speaker is surprised by a strange or unusual situation or event.
Gio
Did you like the pad thai?
Sean
Oddly enough, yes. I don't usually like spicy food.
A few more points
Adjective usage
As we mentioned earlier, enough usually comes before the noun, but it can also come after the noun. However, this usage sounds a bit formal and is less common.
I finally have time enough to sit down and enjoy my book.
Pronoun usage
As a pronoun, enough can be used alone, but you need to be careful in some cases. If the subject is a noun, enough cannot be used to complete a clause. So for example, "The milk is not enough" would be incorrect. "There isn't enough milk" is the correct way to say it.
x I want cereal, but the milk is not enough.
o I want cereal, but there isn't enough milk.
Wrap-up
Mastering the different ways to use enough will have a big impact on your English fluency and daily conversations. You can use it to ask about what's necessary, to express satisfaction, and even to say "no more" in a strong way. Practice while studying the examples here and soon enough, you'll sound like a native speaker when you use it!
