B2 – Upper Intermediate
Not all intensifiers combine freely with all adjectives. The choice depends on:
- whether the adjective is gradable or non-gradable
- collocational restrictions (what sounds natural)
- semantic precision and nuance
Gradable vs Non-Gradable Adjectives
Gradable adjectives
These allow degrees (very, quite, slightly, etc.)
- very tired
- slightly cold
- extremely happy
Non-gradable (absolute/extreme) adjectives
These already express a maximum or absolute state:
- freezing (not very freezing)
- exhausted (not very exhausted)
- perfect (not very perfect)
Instead, use maximizing intensifiers:
- absolutely freezing
- completely exhausted
- totally perfect
Key Intensifier Types
a. Amplifiers (increase intensity)
Maximizers (100% scale)
- absolutely, completely, totally, utterly
Examples:
- absolutely certain
- completely wrong
- utterly ridiculous
Boosters (high degree, but not absolute)
- very, really, so, extremely, highly
Examples:
- very tired
- extremely important
- highly unlikely
b. Downtoners (reduce intensity)
- slightly, somewhat, rather, fairly, a bit
Examples:
- slightly awkward
- fairly interesting
- rather confusing
Strong Collocational Pairings
Some intensifiers strongly prefer specific adjectives:
“Highly” + evaluative adjectives
- highly effective
- highly successful
- highly unlikely
Not: highly big
“Deeply” + emotional states
- deeply concerned
- deeply offended
- deeply disappointed
“Bitterly” + negative emotions
- bitterly disappointed
- bitterly cold
- bitterly opposed
“Utterly” + negative/extreme adjectives
- utterly absurd
- utterly useless
- utterly devastated
“Closely” + analytical/relational adjectives
- closely related
- closely connected
- closely aligned
Subtle Meaning Differences
Compare:
- very big → neutral
- absolutely enormous → emphatic, dramatic
- quite good → moderate (BrE often = “fairly”)
- quite amazing → strong (with non-gradable adjectives)
“Quite” is not stable in meaning—depends on adjective type.
Register and Formality
Some intensifiers signal formal style:
- highly significant (formal)
- deeply regrettable (formal)
Others are more informal:
- really tired
- super weird
- so good
Adjectives That Resist “Very”
Many advanced learners overuse very.
Replace “very” with stronger adjectives:
- very big → enormous
- very tired → exhausted
- very good → excellent
Or:
- very important → extremely important / crucial
Gradability Shifts
Some adjectives can be both gradable and non-gradable depending on meaning:
- The solution is quite simple. (gradable: moderately simple)
- The answer is quite correct. (non-gradable: completely correct)
Intensifier Stacking (Marked Usage)
- really very tired (possible, but marked)
- so incredibly beautiful (emphatic, expressive)
Stacking is common in speech, but less common in formal writing.
Precision Through Collocation
Compare:
- Correct: strongly recommend
- Correct: highly recommend
- Incorrect: very recommend
Some verbs/adjectives require specific intensifiers due to convention.
Key Insight
At an advanced level, intensifiers are less about grammar rules and more about:
- collocation (what sounds natural)
- semantics (degree and scale)
- register (formal vs informal tone)
Mastery comes from noticing patterns—not memorizing isolated rules.
Common Errors
incorrect: very freezing
correct: absolutely freezing
incorrect: completely very good
correct: extremely good / really good
incorrect: highly happy
correct: very happy
incorrect: deeply big
correct: very big