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org/en/english-grammar/intensifiers
Intensifiers
Level: intermediate
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
We call these words intensifiers. Other intensifiers are:
amazingly
particularly
exceptionall
remarkably
y
unusually
incredibly
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.
Intensifiers with strong adjectives
Strong adjectives are words like:
very big enormous, huge
very small tiny
very brilliant
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clever
very bad awful, terrible, disgusting, dreadful
very sure certain
excellent, perfect, ideal, wonderful, splendi
very good
d
very tasty delicious
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
really
completely
quite
exceptionall
totally
y
utterly
particularly
The film was absolutely awful.
He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
The food smelled really disgusting.
Normal and strong adjectives
Intensifiers 1
Intensifiers 2
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Be careful! (level: advanced)
Intensifiers with particular adjectives
Some intensifiers go with particular adjectives depending on the
meaning of the adjective:
I’m afraid your wife is dangerously ill.
The engine was dangerously hot.
The car was seriously damaged.
Fortunately none of the passengers was seriously hurt.
Some intensifiers go with particular adjectives. For example, we use
the intensifier highly with the
adjectives successful, intelligent, likely and unlikely:
He was highly intelligent.
She’s a highly successful businesswoman.
but we do NOT say:
We had a highly tasty meal.
That is a highly good idea.
We use the intensifier bitterly with the
adjectives disappointed, unhappy and cold:
I was bitterly unhappy at school.
We were bitterly disappointed to lose the match.
It can get bitterly cold in winter.
You need to use your dictionary to find which nouns these intensifiers
go with.
Intensifiers with particular adjectives 1
Intensifiers with particular adjectives 2
Level: intermediate
Intensifiers with comparatives and superlatives
We use these words and phrases as intensifiers with comparative
adjectives
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much a great deal
far a good deal
a lot a good bit
quite a lot a fair bit
He is much older than me.
New York is a lot bigger than Boston.
We use much and far as intensifiers with comparative adjectives in
front of a noun:
France is a much bigger country than Britain.
He is a far better player than Ronaldo.
We use these words as intensifiers with superlative adjectives:
easily, by far, much
The blue whale is easily the biggest animal in the world.
This car was by far the most expensive.
Intensifiers with comparatives and superlatives
Level: Advanced
Adjectives as intensifiers
We use some adjectives as intensifiers with nouns:
absolute perfect
complete real
total utter
We say:
He’s a complete idiot.
They were talking utter nonsense.
but we do NOT say:
The idiot was complete.
The nonsense they were talking was utter.
Adjectives as intensifiers 1
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Adjectives as intensifiers 2
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[Link]
Unit 10: Sunny's job hunt
Gerunds and infinitives
Verb patterns: gerunds and infinitives
Meaning and use
Gerunds are the -ing form of a verb, and infinitives are the to + base form. These
words can be confusing; they combine the meaning of a verb with the grammar of
a noun.
My father asked me to phone him. I enjoy talking with my father.
So, how is ‘to phone’ like a noun? Imagine the first sentence said: My father
asked me a question. You can see how a question and to phone have the same
grammatical role. Similarly, you could replace ‘talking’ with the
noun conversation.
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Using gerunds and infinitives correctly with verbs can be difficult because some
verbs go with only the infinitive or only the gerund, and others can go with either
one.
I enjoy going to the movies. (enjoy + -ing form only)
Jason wants to visit a museum on Friday. (want + infinitive form only)
Tony likes eating at restaurants. Tony likes to eat at restaurants. (like + either -ing
or infinitive form)
Another difficulty is that sometimes choosing the infinitive or the gerund will change
the meaning of the sentence.
Mary stopped eating at six.
(Mary was eating, and at six o’clock, she stopped.)
Mary stopped to eat at six.
(Mary was walking home, and at six o’clock she stopped walking and went into a café to
eat.)
The best way to learn which verbs take infinitives, gerunds, or both, is to notice
them in context when you read, or to consult grammar references. Here are some
of the most common verbs:
Followed by a gerund (-ing form)
admit, advise, consider, discuss, dislike, dread, enjoy, finish, mind, practise,
recommend, suggest
Followed by an infinitive
agree, appear, choose, decide, expect, fail, hope, learn, need, refuse, seem, wait,
want
Followed by either, usually with no change in meaning
begin, continue, hate, like, love, prefer, start
Followed by either, with a change in meaning
forget, regret, remember, stop, try
Form
Gerunds and infinitives can follow verbs in the form verb + -ing form of the
verb or verb + infinitive (to + base form of the verb).
Positive
Theresa suggested going to the park.
Ross decided to go home instead.
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Negative
The negative form is verb + not + gerund/infinitive.
My grandparents have retired and enjoy not working.
Frank hopes not to travel over the holidays.
Question
What did the doctor advise taking for your cold?
Do you need to do your laundry this weekend?
Take note: ‘split’ infinitives
A ‘split infinitive’ has an adverb between to and the verb.
It is important to thoroughly study for an examination.
His sister seems to really want a cat.
Some people think split infinitives are ungrammatical. If you are writing formal
English, it is best to avoid using them in your writing.
Take note: possessives
Remember that gerunds are types of nouns, so you can use possessive adjectives
like my, your, his, her, etc.
Do you mind my going out for a while?
I like his planning our holidays for us.
Practise Grammar
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