Intensifiers

• 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.
  
  We call these words intensifiers.
  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
  We do not normally use very with strong adjectives. We do not say something is "very enormous" or someone is "very brilliant".
  With strong adjectives, we normally use intensifiers like:
  
      The film was absolutely awful.
      He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
      The food smelled really disgusting.
  
  
• 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.
      He was driving dangerously fast.
      The car was seriously seriously damaged.
      Fortunately non 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 highly successful businesswoman
  
  but we do not say:
  
      We had a highly tasty meal.
      That is a highly good idea.
  
  We use 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.
  
  
• Intensifiers with comparatives and superlatives
  We use these words and phrases as intensifiers with comparative adjectives:
  
      much; far; a lot; quite a lot; a great deal; a good deal; a good bit; 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 superlatives:
  
      easily; by far; much
  
      The blue whale is easily the biggest animal in the world.
      This car was by far the most expensive.
  
  
• Adjectives as intensifiers
  We use some adjectives as intensifiers with nouns
  
  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.
  
  

Intensifiers	very, really, extremely, amazingly, exceptionally, incredibly, remarkably, particularly, unusually,
Intensifiers with strong adjectives	absolutely, completely, totally, utterly, really, exceptionally, particularly, quite
Intensifiers with particular adjectives	dangerously ill, dangerously fast
	seriously damaged, seriously hurt
	highly intelligent, highly successful
	bitterly unhappy, bitterly disappointed, bitterly cold
	universally popular
	bitterly opposed
	deeply disappointed
	gravely ill
	deliriously happy
	desperately unhappy
	drop-dead gorgeous
	keenly observant
	firmly committed
	truly sorry
Normal adjectives	bad, difficult, good, hungry, interesting, small
Strong adjectives	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
	impossible
	fantastic
	starving
	fascinating
	minute
Adjectives as intensifiers	absolute; total; complete; utter; perfect; real

• Examples

A: How was your exam? 

B: Not good. It was really difficult.

A: Are you hungry?

B: Hungry? I'm absolutely starving!

A: So, did you enjoy the movies?

B: No, I thought it was totally awful.

A: Do you think we'll get a pay rise this year?

B: Well, if we do, it'll be extremely small.

A: Did you have a good holiday?

B: Yes, thanks, it was really fantastic.

A: I don't like politics.

B: No? I find it very interesting.

My mother was a highly successful tennis player in her time. She won loads of tournaments.

The car was so seriously damaged in the accident that it had to e scrapped.

Tom was deliriously happy when he heard he'd become a grandfather. He couldn't stop smiling.

I was deeply disappointed by my team's performance last night. It was terrible.

The restaurant was shut down when three people fell gravely ill after eating there.

Esther's desperately unhappy working at the bank so she's looking for a new job.

In order to be a successful detective, you need to be keenly observant.

Have I met Maria's new boyfriend? No, but I've seen him and he's drop-dead gorgeous!

Professor Jones was a universally popular head of department.

Everyone was truly sorry  to see him retire.

The government is firmly committed to reducing public debt, and is therefore bitterly opposed to an increases in spending.

Shanghai is a great deal bigger than Beijing.

Shanghai is a lot bigger than Beijing.

Shanghai is far bigger than Beijing.

Shanghai is much bigger than Beijing.

Shanghai is a far bigger city than Beijing.

Shanghai is a much bigger city than Beijing.

London is by far the bigger city in the European Union.

London is easily the bigger city in the European Union.

London is much the biggest city in the European Union.

London is the biggest city in the European Union by far.

Paul and I have been very close since our school days. He's a real friend.

I tell you. I've never seen that man before in my life. He's a prefect stranger.

There's no truth in those newspaper reports whatsoever. They're a total fabrication.

Rosa's got a huge record collection. When it comes to music, she's an absolute fanatic

I can't believe Harry deleted all those emails. He's a complete idiot.

Last week was the worst week of my life. It was an utter nightmare.