B10. A helping hand
too + adjective, not + adjective + enough
Mr. Hopkins was walking down the street one day when he noticed a small boy. The boy was standing outside a house. He was trying to ring the doorbell but the problem was that he was too short to reach up to the bell. As Mr. Hopkins watched, he tried to jump up to press the bell, but he just wasn't tall enough. Then the boy got a book out of his school bag and stood on it, but the book wasn't thick enough and the bell was still too high up for him to reach.
The man felt sorry for the boy and decided to go and help him. He walked over to the door, smiled at the little boy and rang the door bell three times.
Then he turned to the boy and said kindly, 'So now what, little man?'
'Now,' the boy replied, 'we run away as fast as possible!'
Grammar: too + adjective, not + adjective + enough
You can talk about some problems using these forms:too+ adjective (too hot, too difficult) or not+ adjective + enough( not good enough, not big enough)For example, when the bath water is colder than you want it to be, you can say it in these two different ways.
It's too
cold.
It's not warm enough.
It's not warm enough.
When you can't do something because of a problem of degree you can use these forms:
These bags are too heavy for me to carry.
I'm not strong enough to carry these bags.
I'm not strong enough to carry these bags.
Match the questions with the answers.
| 1. Why can't you buy this computer for me? | A. Because it's too far away. |
| 2. Why aren't you swimming in the sea? | B.
Because
it's
too
cold. |
| 3. Why don't you want to read this book about algebra? | C.
Because
I'm
not
rich
enough. |
| 4. Why can't you see that bird on the tree over there? | D.
Because
I'm
not
tall
enough. |
| 5. Why can't you pass me down that book from the top shelf? | E. Because it's too difficult for me to understand. |
Rewrite the sentences using the word in brackets.
6. This soup
isn't hot enough to
eat. [too]
7. My paintings are too bad to show anyone. [enough]
8. These socks are too wet to wear. [enough]
9. This book isn't cheap enough. [too]
10. They're not old enough to get married. [too]
7. My paintings are too bad to show anyone. [enough]
8. These socks are too wet to wear. [enough]
9. This book isn't cheap enough. [too]
10. They're not old enough to get married. [too]
Vocabulary exercises
Choose the correct preposition to complete the sentences.
1. I feel sorry at
/ for / to him
because he's too tall.
2. Helen smiled at / for / to Jack when he came into the room.
3. Look out! The cat is going to jump in / up / at onto the table.
4. I was walking down / to / into the street one day when I saw a large dog.
5. The robber stole the money and ran up / for / away as fast as possible.
2. Helen smiled at / for / to Jack when he came into the room.
3. Look out! The cat is going to jump in / up / at onto the table.
4. I was walking down / to / into the street one day when I saw a large dog.
5. The robber stole the money and ran up / for / away as fast as possible.
Choose the correct verb to complete these sentences.
6. I tried to _______ the doorbell but it
didn't
work.
| A. call | B. ring | C. knock | D. make |
7. I need to stand on a chair to _______ the
books on
the top shelf.
| A. hand | B. pick | C. catch | D.
reach |
8.
Did you _______ that Mark was
wearing
one blue sock and one black sock today?
| A. notice | B. feel | C. decide | D.
reach |
9.
'Ive decided to invite him to the party
because I
_______ sorry for him.
| A. make | B. call | C. feel | D.
reply |
10.
The man at the information
desk
didn't ______ at us at all. Very unfriendly!
| A. turn | B. feel | C. try | D. smile |