Courses/CELPIP Vocabulary & Collocations Kit/Grammar-in-Use - Degrees & Comparisons (too/enough/very/quite)

#84. Grammar-in-Use - Degrees & Comparisons (too/enough/very/quite)

Words (Core Vocabulary)

  • very / quite / pretty (informal) / really
  • too + adj/adverb (to + verb) – more than is good/possible
  • enough + (noun) / adj + enough (to + verb)
  • comparatives: -er/more + adj; than
  • superlatives: -est/most
  • modifiers: a bit / slightly / a little / much / far / way (informal)

Phrases (Natural patterns)

Degree

  • It’s very cold; the wind makes it really chilly.
  • That café is quite good (pretty good = informal).
  • The bag is too heavy to carry alone.
  • Is this room warm enough for you?

Comparisons

  • This route is faster than the highway.
  • Today is much colder than yesterday.
  • That was the best price we found.
  • The new model is a bit more expensive.

As…as / not as…as

  • The 8 a.m. train is as quick as the 7 a.m. one.
  • This jacket is not as warm as that one.

Contextual Examples (Everyday)

  • It’s too noisy to study here—let’s move.
  • We don’t have enough chairs; I’ll grab two more.
  • The second option seems far better than the first.

Collocations & Phrases (bold the key words)

  • very/really cold/busy/nice
  • quite/pretty good/common
  • too late/expensive to (do sth)
  • warm enough to sit outside
  • much/far/way better/worse
  • a bit/slightly more/less

Quick Grammar Notes

  • too + adj + to + verb: “too small to fit,” “too early to call.”
  • adj + enough + to + verb: “warm enough to bike,” “old enough to vote.”
  • Quite in Canadian usage often ≈ very/pretty (positive); tone depends on context.

Extra Mini-Patterns (plug-and-play)

  • Comfort check: “Is the soup hot enough, or too salty?”
  • Decision: “Option B is way cheaper than A.”
  • Move: “It’s too crowded to chat—let’s step outside.”
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