Intensifiers are words that can be added to an adjective, adverb, or noun to increase the intensity of its meaning. In this context, we will examine the three most commonly used intensifiers: "very", "so", and "too".
1. "Very"
"Very" is a simple intensifier that does not have any additional meaning beyond intensifying the degree of the adjective or adverb it modifies. For example, "The room was very small" means the room was significantly smaller than expected. Similarly, "We finished very quickly" means that the time taken to finish was much shorter than expected.
2. "So"
"So" can suggest an emotion in the speaker, such as pleasure, surprise, or disappointment. For instance, "Juan makes me so angry!" indicates that Juan's behavior is causing the speaker to feel angry. Additionally, "so" can also refer forward to a result clause introduced by "that". For example, "The traffic was moving so slowly that he arrived three hours late." This implies that the slow traffic caused him to arrive later than expected.
3. "Too"
"Too" suggests an excessive or undesirable amount. For example, "The soup is too salty." indicates that the level of saltiness is more than desired. Similarly, "She wears too much make-up" implies that she is wearing an excessive amount of make-up. Furthermore, "too" can be used with a "to-infinitive" or with "for" to say that a particular result does not or cannot happen. For instance, "He was too late to save her" implies that it was impossible for him to save her in time. Likewise, "The water was too cold for swimming" indicates that the water was not warm enough for swimming.
In conclusion, while all three intensifiers - "very", "so", and "too" - serve similar purposes, they each have their specific uses in English language expressions. Understanding how to use them correctly can help you express yourself more effectively in both written and spoken English.
.
used with
-ed
words, very
can be used to emphasize adjectives ending in -ed
, especially when they refer to a state of mind or emotional condition. For example, you can say 'I was very bored' or 'She was very frightened'. Similarly, He seemed very interested in everything, Joe must have been very worried about her.
However, it is important not to use 'very' to emphasize -ed words when they are part of a passive construction. It is incorrect to say, for example, 'He was very liked'. You should say 'He was well liked'. Similarly, don't say 'She was very admired'. You should say 'She was very much admired' or 'She was greatly admired'.
Here are some more examples:
阿根廷(Argentina)在第一轮比赛中被意大利(Italy)击败。
我受他的影响非常大。
他被同事们深恶痛绝。
不要说某人“非常清醒”，而是应该说他们“完全醒着”或者“十分清醒”。比如：
到我们到达酒店时他已经清醒了。
他没有完全清醒。
It is not appropriate to use the word "very" when describing someone who is sound asleep or fast asleep. Instead, use phrases such as "sound asleep" or "fast asleep." For example:
- Chris is still sound asleep on the sofa.
- Charlotte had been fast asleep when he left her.
When referring to two things that are far apart, it is also inappropriate to use the word "very." Rather, use the phrase "far apart" to describe their distance. For instance:
- His two hands were far apart from each other.
In addition, it is unnecessary to use "very" with adjectives that already convey an extreme quality. Some examples of adjectives that do not need to be modified by "very" include:
- absurd
- awful
- brilliant
- enormous
- essential
- excellent
- furious
- huge
- massive
- perfect
- splendid
- terrible
- unique
- wonderful
Comparatives and superlatives should also be avoided when using the word "very." For example, instead of saying "Tom was very quicker than I was," use "much quicker" or "far quicker." Similarly, avoid saying "it was very colder than before." It is sufficient to simply say "it was much colder than before" or "it was far colder than before." Finally, consider using the phrase "see far" when referring to a picture that is superior to others.
.
In front of:
Used to indicate the position of an object or person in relation to another object or person. For example:
- The car was parked in front of the house.
- She stood in front of the class to begin teaching.
- The dog is sleeping in front of the fireplace.
2.
Best/worst:
Used to describe a noun that is the highest in quality, rank, or degree. For example:
- This is the best pizza I've ever had.
- He's the worst singer in our group.
- The new phone has the best camera on the market.
3.
Superlatives ending in "-est":
Used to form the superlative form of adjectives and some other types of words. For example:
- She runs faster than anyone else in the competition. (fastest)
- He is the tallest boy in his class. (tallest)
- We need to find the most efficient way to solve this problem. (most efficient)
4.
Very:
Used as a modifier before an adjective, adverb, or verb to emphasize its intensity or degree. However, be careful when using it with superlatives that end in "-est". Instead, use much, by far, or far and away when comparing two or more things. For example:
- She is much more talented than her sister. (not very)
- That movie was by far the best I have seen this year. (not very)
- This is far and away the most important decision we will make today. (not very)
5.
First, next, last:
Used with "very" in front of "first", "next", or "last" to emphasize that something is the first, next, or last thing of its kind. For example:
- I was their very first employee at the company. (not very)
- We left the very next day after meeting with the investors. (not very)
- Those were his very last words before he passed away. (not very)
It was funny that we couldn't help laughing We were so angry that we asked to see the manager. He had shouted so hard that his throat was sore.
We were not sure what to expect from David, but he proved to be well above average. He was following us not far behind.
In general, it is not appropriate to use 'very' in front of prepositions or prepositional phrases. For example, don't say, "He was very in love with Kate". Instead, you should use "very much" or "greatly". The findings were also very much in line with previous research. I was greatly in awe of Jane at first.
Remember to use prepositions and prepositional phrases correctly. Don't use 'very' in front of them. Instead, use 'well' or 'far'. Also, avoid using 'very very' because it is redundant and unnecessary. Finally, remember to check the accuracy of your writing by reviewing the grammar and spelling before submitting it for review.
