Vocabulary for urban living, transport, and housing. Grammar: quantifiers — too, enough, too many, too much to express degree and sufficiency.
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Vocabulary
Urban living, housing, transport, and city infrastructure.
Commute
To travel regularly between home and work or study
Her daily commute takes too much time — over two hours each way.
Congestion
Heavy traffic that makes it difficult to move through an area
There is too much congestion in the city centre during rush hour.
Affordable
Cheap enough for most people to be able to pay for
There are not enough affordable homes in the city for young families.
Pedestrian
A person who is walking, especially in a town or city
The new pedestrian zone has too many cyclists and not enough space.
Infrastructure
The basic systems of a country or city, such as roads, water, and electricity
The city's infrastructure is not good enough to support rapid population growth.
Green space
An area of grass, trees, or other vegetation in or near a city
There is not enough green space for the number of residents in this district.
Urban sprawl
The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding countryside
Too much urban sprawl is destroying farmland and wildlife habitats.
Gentrification
The process of renovating an area so that it attracts wealthier residents, often displacing the original community
Gentrification has made many central neighbourhoods too expensive for long-term residents.
Suburb
A residential area on the edge of a city
The suburbs are quiet enough for families but too far from the city centre for young professionals.
Litter
Rubbish left in public places
There is too much litter on the streets — the council needs more bins.
Skyscraper
A very tall building, typically in a city
Critics argue there are too many skyscrapers and not enough low-rise housing.
Renovation
The act of repairing and improving a building
The old town hall is large enough for renovation into apartments.
Vocabulary exercises
Grammar
Quantifiers — too, enough, too many, too much
Use too, too much, too many, and enough to say whether something is more than needed, less than needed, or just right.
The city is too crowded to enjoy. There is too much traffic on this road. There are too many cars and not enough cycle lanes. The flat is big enough for two people.
Quantifier
Used with
Meaning
Example
too
adjectives / adverbs
More than acceptable
The rent is too high.
too much
uncountable nouns
More than needed
There is too much noise.
too many
countable nouns
More than needed
There are too many cars.
enough (positive)
nouns / adjectives
As much/many as needed
There are enough buses. / It is big enough.
not enough
nouns / adjectives
Less than needed
There are not enough parks.
Enough comes after an adjective (big enough) but before a noun (enough space). Too always comes before an adjective or adverb.
Grammar exercises
Reading
Read the article carefully, then answer the questions.
Is city living still worth it?
For generations, cities have attracted people with the promise of opportunity, culture, and connection. But in recent years, a growing number of people have been leaving urban centres, citing costs that are too high, commutes that are too long, and streets that are too crowded. Is the appeal of city life beginning to fade?
The most commonly cited problem is housing. In many major cities, there are simply not enough affordable homes for the people who need them. Rents have risen too fast for average wages to keep pace, and too many young professionals find themselves spending more than half their income on accommodation. Too much demand and not enough supply — it is a formula that economists have been warning about for years.
The infrastructure of many cities has also failed to keep pace with growth. Public transport networks that were designed for smaller populations are now overcrowded and not reliable enough for daily commuters. There are too many private vehicles and not enough road space or cycle lanes to manage them safely.
And yet, cities also offer things that smaller towns and rural areas simply cannot: enough cultural events, restaurants, and social opportunities to suit every taste; enough employers and industries to provide genuine career choice; and enough diversity to make daily life interesting and dynamic. For many people, that is still more than enough.
Comprehension questions
Certificate of completion
Unit 13: City Life
B1 Intermediate English Course · EnglishGrammarPractice.com
Know where to place enough with adjectives and nouns
Understand conversations and texts about city life and housing
Write a paragraph about a city using quantifiers naturally
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Writing
Guided writing task.
Task: City life paragraph
Write a paragraph (80-120 words) about the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city. Use too, enough, too many, and too much.
Give at least two advantages of city life
Give at least two disadvantages using too, too much or too many
Use enough in at least one sentence
Use city vocabulary from this unit
0 words
Model answer
Living in a city has clear advantages: there are enough jobs and cultural opportunities to keep anyone busy. Public transport is usually good enough to get around without a car. However, cities can also have too many people, which creates congestion and makes housing unaffordable. There is often too much noise and pollution, which affects quality of life significantly. Gentrification means that affordable housing is becoming harder to find, and many residents feel they no longer earn enough to stay in areas where they grew up. Despite these challenges, the energy and diversity of city living is worth it for many people.