Practice
Intensifiers: make adjectives and adverbs stronger
Sign in to saveA quiet room, a very quiet room, and a completely quiet room do not give the same picture. An intensifier changes the degree of an adjective or adverb, so it helps the listener understand how strong the description is.
Choose an intensifier that matches the strength and meaning you want before an adjective or adverb.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The library is very quiet this morning. /ðə ˈlaɪbrəri ɪz ˈveri ˈkwaɪət ðɪs ˈmɔːnɪŋ/
The short answer
Put an intensifier before an adjective or adverb, then choose one whose meaning fits the situation. Use very or really for ordinary emphasis, and use completely or absolutely with suitable strong adjectives.
The library is very quiet this morning.
Why it works: Very comes before quiet and makes the description stronger.
4 more examples
-
This guide is really useful for new staff.
Really adds emphasis to useful in a natural, everyday way.
Not this:This guide is
usefulfor new staff. What changes: The plain adjective describes the guide without the extra emphasis. -
The apartment is quite small, but it has a balcony.
Quite adds degree, but it can sound more moderate than very in many contexts.
Not this:The apartment is
very small, but it has a balcony. What changes: Very usually makes the size sound stronger than quite does. -
The soup is too hot to eat now.
Too means the soup is hotter than is suitable for eating now.
Not this:The soup is
very hot. What changes: Very hot gives strong information, but it does not by itself say that eating is a problem. -
The keys are completely dry now.
Completely shows that no part of the keys is still wet.
Not this:The keys are
drynow. What changes: Dry gives the state; completely makes the complete result explicit.
Read the full guide
First, decide how strong you want the description to be. Then ask whether the adjective has degrees, such as quiet or useful, or whether it already describes a complete state, such as impossible or full. This choice helps you pair the adjective with a natural intensifier.
Find the word you want to strengthen
An intensifier usually comes immediately before an adjective or adverb. It tells the listener about degree. In very quiet, very changes quiet. In really carefully, really changes carefully.
The library is very quiet this morning.
Very is placed before quiet, the adjective that describes the library.
Which word does very strengthen in She answered very politely?
Very strengthens politely, the adverb that describes how she answered.
Use very and really for ordinary emphasis
Very and really work with many adjectives and adverbs that can have more or less degree. They are useful when you want a stronger description without changing the basic meaning. Really is common in conversation and can sound more personal.
This guide is really useful for new staff.
Really makes useful stronger, but the guide remains useful rather than becoming a different kind of guide.
Please speak very clearly during the recording.
Very strengthens clearly, the adverb that describes how to speak.
Use quite and extremely with care
Quite often adds a moderate amount of emphasis, while extremely shows a high degree. The exact force of quite can vary with context and between varieties of English, so do not assume that it always means very. Read the whole sentence and listen for the speaker's tone.
The apartment is quite small, but it has a balcony.
Quite makes small stronger, but very small usually sounds stronger in this comparison.
The path becomes extremely narrow near the bridge.
Extremely tells the reader that the path is narrow to a high degree.
Match completely and absolutely to strong adjectives
Some adjectives describe a complete state or a limit. Impossible, full, empty, and dry often work well with completely or absolutely. These pairings make the complete state clear.
The keys are completely dry now.
Completely says that no part of the keys remains wet.
It is absolutely impossible to finish the report today.
Absolutely fits impossible because impossible already describes a limit.
Separate too from strong praise or description
Too does more than show a high degree. It says that the degree is more than is wanted, useful, or possible in the situation. It often appears before an infinitive phrase that explains the result.
The soup is too hot to eat now.
Too hot explains why eating the soup now is not possible.
Choose the phrase that means there is a problem: very loud or too loud?
Too loud means the sound is louder than is suitable for the situation.
Before you go
Remember this
Put an intensifier before the adjective or adverb it changes. Use very, really, quite, and extremely to show different degrees. Use completely or absolutely with suitable limit adjectives. Use too when the degree creates a problem or prevents an action.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Intensifiers: make adjectives and adverbs stronger"
What is an intensifier in English?
An intensifier is a word that adds degree to an adjective or adverb. In very quiet, very tells the listener that the library is quiet to a stronger degree than quiet alone suggests.
The library is very quiet this morning.
What is the difference between very and really?
Both very and really can strengthen many gradable adjectives and adverbs. Very is a neutral choice in many contexts. Really is also common, especially in conversation, and often adds a more personal emphasis.
The library is quiet this morning.
Does quite mean the same as very?
Not always. Quite adds degree, but it can sound more moderate than very in many contexts. Its exact force can also vary with context and between varieties of English, so use the sentence meaning to guide you.
This guide is really useful for new staff.
Can I use absolutely with every adjective?
No. Absolutely often goes with adjectives that describe a limit or a complete state, such as impossible, full, or certain. With ordinary gradable adjectives, very, really, or extremely is often a more natural choice.
This guide is useful for new staff.
How is too different from very?
Very gives a strong description without saying that anything is wrong. Too means that the degree is more than is suitable for a purpose or situation. For example, too hot can explain why food cannot be eaten yet.
The apartment is quite small, but it has a balcony.