Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree say how much. Gradable adjectives (cold, tired) take very, extremely or really. Non-gradable adjectives (freezing, exhausted, perfect) take absolutely, completely or totally — not very.
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Level: B2. Adverbs of degree tell you how much of a quality there is. The key at B2 is matching the right degree adverb to the right adjective: some adjectives can be made stronger or weaker, others are already at the top and cannot.
The rule
An adjective describes a quality; an adverb of degree (or intensifier) says how strong that quality is. The important split is between two kinds of adjective.
Gradable adjectives describe qualities that come in degrees — you can be a little cold, cold, or very cold. They work with very, extremely, really, so, particularly and with weakeners like fairly, rather, a bit, slightly. “It’s very cold”, “I’m slightly tired.”
Non-gradable adjectives are already at the limit, so they do not take very. They fall into two groups. Extreme adjectives are the strong version of a gradable one: freezing (= very cold), exhausted (= very tired), enormous (= very big). Absolute (or classifying) adjectives name an all-or-nothing state: perfect, impossible, dead, unique, right, wrong. Both groups take absolutely, completely, totally, utterly or really: “It’s absolutely freezing”, “That’s completely impossible.”
A few adverbs work with both kinds but change meaning. Quite means fairly before a gradable adjective (“quite good” = fairly good) but completely before a non-gradable one (“quite impossible” = totally impossible). Really is the flexible all-rounder: it strengthens both (“really cold”, “really freezing”).
Forms
| Adjective type | Example adjective | Boosters | Weakeners |
|---|---|---|---|
| gradable | cold, tired, good, big | very, extremely, really, so | fairly, rather, a bit, slightly |
| extreme (non-gradable) | freezing, exhausted, huge | absolutely, really, completely | (not used) |
| absolute (non-gradable) | perfect, impossible, dead | absolutely, completely, totally | (not used) |
Note that some adverbs pair naturally with only one type. Very and extremely go with gradable adjectives; absolutely, completely and utterly go with non-gradable ones. Really is safe with both.
Example sentences
- The water is very cold today.Very + gradable adjective (cold).
- The water is absolutely freezing today.Absolutely + extreme adjective (freezing).
- I'm extremely tired after the flight.Extremely + gradable adjective (tired).
- I'm completely exhausted after the flight.Completely + extreme adjective (exhausted).
- That film was really good.Really strengthens a gradable adjective.
- That film was really excellent.Really also works with an extreme adjective.
- Her plan is quite good, but not perfect.Quite = fairly before a gradable adjective.
- What you're asking is quite impossible.Quite = completely before a non-gradable adjective.
- The house is fairly big for the price.Fairly weakens a gradable adjective.
- The house is absolutely enormous.Absolutely + extreme adjective (enormous).
- I'm a bit hungry, but I can wait.A bit is a mild weakener before a gradable adjective.
- The exam was rather difficult.Rather weakens, often with a slightly negative tone.
- This answer is totally wrong.Totally + absolute adjective (wrong).
- The design is completely unique.Completely + absolute adjective (unique).
- It was so hot that we stayed inside.So + gradable adjective in a result sentence.
- The soup is slightly too salty.Slightly is the smallest weakener.
- The view from the top is pretty amazing.Pretty is informal; amazing is extreme, so this is very strong.
- He was utterly ridiculous about it.Utterly + non-gradable adjective (ridiculous).
- The meeting was particularly useful today.Particularly adds focus to a gradable adjective.
- I'm not entirely sure about the date.Entirely often appears in the negative: not entirely sure.
- The room was rather small and a bit dark.Two downtoners describing modest qualities.
- That is an absolutely perfect answer.Absolutely + perfect; perfect is absolute, never 'very'.
Common mistakes
- ❌ It’s very freezing outside. → ✅ It’s absolutely freezing outside. Freezing is already extreme; boost it with absolutely, not very.
- ❌ I’m very exhausted. → ✅ I’m absolutely exhausted / I’m very tired. Use very with the gradable tired, and absolutely/completely with the extreme exhausted.
- ❌ This plan is very perfect. → ✅ This plan is absolutely perfect. Perfect is absolute; it cannot be graded with very.
- ❌ The box is absolutely heavy. → ✅ The box is very heavy / absolutely enormous. Heavy is gradable, so it takes very, not absolutely.
- ❌ The soup is very delicious. → ✅ The soup is absolutely delicious / really delicious. Delicious is extreme (= very tasty), so use absolutely or really.
- ❌ I’m very agree with you. → ✅ I completely agree with you. Agree is a verb, not an adjective; use a degree adverb like completely, never very.
A short conversation
A: How was the hike? B: Honestly, it was absolutely exhausting. The last hill was really steep. A: But the view must have been amazing. B: It was completely worth it. I’m just a bit sore today.
Usage notes
- Quite is tricky. In British English, quite + gradable means fairly (“quite nice” = moderately nice). Quite + non-gradable means completely (“quite right” = totally right). Context and the adjective type tell you which.
- Rather leans negative. Rather often signals a problem or surprise: “It’s rather expensive” hints you think the price is too high. Before a positive idea it can mean “to a welcome degree”: “rather good.”
- Register. Pretty (“pretty tired”) and a bit are informal. Extremely, particularly and utterly are more formal. So + adjective is emphatic and common in speech, especially in result clauses (“so tired that…”).
- Adverbs of degree with verbs. Degree adverbs also modify verbs: “I completely forgot”, “I really enjoyed it”, “I totally agree.” Here too, very does not work before a verb — use really, completely or totally.
Compared with…
- So and such also intensify, but by structure: so + adjective/adverb (“so cold”), such + (adjective +) noun (“such a cold day”). They lead to a result, unlike a plain intensifier. See So and Such.
- Too and enough express degree against a limit: too means more than is wanted (“too cold”), enough means sufficient (“warm enough”). They judge a quality rather than simply strengthen it. See Too and Enough (Degree).
Quick recap before you practise.
Practice
Intensifiers practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: heavy is gradable
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very — Heavy is gradable, so use very/extremely/really/so, not absolutely.
3 Put the words in order to make a correct sentence.
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This answer is completely wrong — Completely + the absolute adjective 'wrong'.
4 Match each adjective to the right booster.
- cold (gradable)
- freezing (extreme)
- perfect (absolute)
- tired (gradable)
Show answer
- cold (gradable) → very
- freezing (extreme) → absolutely
- perfect (absolute) → completely
- tired (gradable) → extremely
Gradable adjectives take very/extremely; non-gradable take absolutely/completely.
Hint: the phrase is 'a ___ tired'
Show answer
a — 'A bit' is a mild downtoner: slightly tired.
Quiz
Intensifiers quiz
13 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
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absolutely — Exhausted is extreme, so use 'absolutely', not 'very'.
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The soup is absolutely delicious. — Delicious is extreme (= very tasty); boost it with 'absolutely' or 'really'.
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very — Long is gradable, so 'very long' is correct; absolutely/completely/totally need a non-gradable adjective.
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completely impossible — Quite + non-gradable adjective (impossible) means 'completely'.
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I'm very exhausted. — 'Very exhausted' is wrong — exhausted is extreme; use 'absolutely/completely'.
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rather — Rather weakens a gradable adjective (small), often with a slightly negative tone.
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absolutely — Right is an absolute adjective; use 'absolutely right', not 'very right'.
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really — 'Really' strengthens both: really cold and really freezing are both fine.
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completely — Use a degree adverb like 'completely' before a verb; 'very' cannot modify a verb.
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It was so cold that we went home. — 'So + adjective + that' introduces a result clause.
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enormous — An extreme adjective (enormous/huge/massive) follows 'absolutely'.
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slightly — Slightly is the smallest downtoner: slightly salty = a tiny bit salty.
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absolutely perfect — Perfect is absolute; it takes 'absolutely', never 'very'.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Adjective | Example | Use | Not |
|---|---|---|---|
| gradable | cold, tired, big | very, extremely, really | absolutely |
| extreme | freezing, exhausted | absolutely, really | very |
| absolute | perfect, impossible | absolutely, completely | very |
| weaken a gradable | cold → a bit cold | fairly, rather, a bit, slightly | — |
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- 31 Past Simple: Regular Verbs and -ed Spelling
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- 33 Past Simple: Negatives and Questions (did)
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- 35 Superlative Adjectives (the biggest, the most)
- 36 Going To: Plans and Predictions
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- 48 Verb + -ing or Verb + to (Introduction)
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- 50 First Conditional (Real Future Possibility)
- 51 Prepositions of Movement (to, into, through)
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- 54 Too and Enough (Degree)
- 55 Order of Adjectives Before a Noun
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- 56 Past Continuous vs Past Simple
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- 81 Make, Let, Allow, Help (Causatives Intro)
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B2 25 topics · 25 ready
- 83 Narrative Tenses for Storytelling
- 84 Past Perfect Continuous (had been -ing)
- 85 Mixed Conditionals
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- 98 Advanced Determiners: each, every, either, neither
- 99 Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree You are here
- 100 Advanced Contrast: despite, in spite of, however
- 101 Advanced Linkers: therefore, moreover, consequently
- 102 Advanced Article Use (generalisations, names)
- 103 Verb + Preposition and Adjective + Preposition
- 104 Relative Clauses: whose, where, when, quantifier + whom
- 105 Subject-Verb Agreement: Tricky Cases
- 106 Emphatic Do (I do like it)
- 107 Would for Past Habits (Formal Narrative)
C1 18 topics · 18 ready
- 108 Inversion with Negative Adverbials
- 109 Inversion in Conditionals (Had I known)
- 110 Cleft Sentences (It was... / What I need is...)
- 111 Fronting and Emphasis (Word Order)
- 112 Subjunctive and Mandative (I suggest he be)
- 113 Ellipsis and Substitution (so, do, one)
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- 120 Advanced Modals (may well, might as well, would rather)
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- 122 Advanced and Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
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- 125 Absolute and Non-Finite Clauses (Formal)