Intensifiers:
We use words like very, really and extremely to make adjectives stronger:
It’s a very interesting story
Everyone was very excited.
It’s a really interesting story.
Everyone was extremely excited
Everyone was very excited.
It’s a really interesting story.
Everyone was extremely excited
We call these words intensifiers. Other intensifiers are:
| amazingly | exceptionally | incredibly |
| remarkably | particularly | unusually |
We also use enough to say more about an adjective, but enough comes after its adjective:
If you are seventeen you are old enough to drive a car.
I can’t wear those shoes. They’re not big enough.
I can’t wear those shoes. They’re not big enough.
Intensifiers with strong adjectives:
Strong adjectives are words like:
enormous, huge = very big
tiny = very small
brilliant = very clever
awful; terrible; disgusting; dreadful = very bad
certain = very sure
excellent; perfect; ideal; wonderful; splendid = very good
delicious = very tasty
tiny = very small
brilliant = very clever
awful; terrible; disgusting; dreadful = very bad
certain = very sure
excellent; perfect; ideal; wonderful; splendid = very good
delicious = very tasty
We do not normally use very with these adjectives. We do not say something is «very enormous» or someone is «very brilliant«.
With strong adjectives, we normally use intensifiers like:
| absolutely | completely | totally | utterly |
| really | exceptionally | particularly | quite |
The film was absolutely awful.
He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
The food smelled really disgusting.
He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
The food smelled really disgusting.
PRACTICE
