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Understanding Intensifiers in English

Intensifiers are adverbs or adverbial phrases that provide emphasis and strength to modify verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or phrases. Some common intensifiers are absolutely, amazingly, incredibly, terribly, totally, completely, especially, extraordinarily, extremely, remarkably, utterly, and very. Many intensifiers end in -ly and can turn an adjective into an adverb. Intensifiers generally have similar meanings but can work differently in positive versus negative sentences. While important for showing emotion in casual speech, intensifiers are not necessarily needed in formal writing.

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767 views2 pages

Understanding Intensifiers in English

Intensifiers are adverbs or adverbial phrases that provide emphasis and strength to modify verbs, adjectives, adverbs, or phrases. Some common intensifiers are absolutely, amazingly, incredibly, terribly, totally, completely, especially, extraordinarily, extremely, remarkably, utterly, and very. Many intensifiers end in -ly and can turn an adjective into an adverb. Intensifiers generally have similar meanings but can work differently in positive versus negative sentences. While important for showing emotion in casual speech, intensifiers are not necessarily needed in formal writing.

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  • Understanding Intensifiers
  • Intensifiers Exercises

INTENSIFIERS

They are modifiers that give emphasis and extra strength to the sentence. They
belong to the class of adverbs or adverbial phrases which are used to give more
information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase. An intensifier has no real
meaning by itself and can usually be removed from the sentence.
Here are some of the most common intensifiers used a lot in casual speech.

Absolutely Highly Super


Amazingly Incredibly Terribly
At all Outragedly Totally
Completely Phenomenally Too
Especially Really Unusually
Extraordinarily Remarkably Utterly
Extremely So Very

Many of these intensifiers have the ending -ly, that means “like.” It can turn an
adjective into an adverb. Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, but they
also modify other adverbs.
E.g. That lasagna is incredible. That lasagna is incredibly delicious!
Adj. Adv. Adj.
Here the adjective modifies the noun. Here the adverb modifies the adjective.

 Intensifiers will work in different sentences, but they all basically mean the same
thing. E.g.:
That lasagna is remarkably good. That lasagna is so good.
That lasagna is amazingly good. That lasagna is extremely good.

 Some intensifiers, however, do have different meanings. Some work best in positive
sentences, and some work best in negative sentences. E.g.:
That beach is amazingly clean. That beach isn’t clean at all.
 Since intensifiers are an important way to show emotion, it is not really necessary to
use in most formal writing. You should only use them when you are speaking, but be
careful – it should not be used too much!

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Intensifiers Exercises

The conference was __________ great! (very, really, highly)

That jacket is ___________ expensive. (really, very, incredibly)

I have __________ no desire to go out. (absolutely, at all, too)

This room is _______________ messy. (incredibly, extremely, completely)

That movie is ________ sad. (too, very, terribly)

That song is ____________ beautiful. (highly, amazingly, too)

My husband’s pizza is _________ delicious! (incredibly, completely, so)

I don’t like that necklace _________. (especially, at all, too)

I was __________ sure that I had some fruit. (so, completely, utterly)

He is being _____________ kind to my kids. (very, especially, so)

He did a/an ________________ good job! (really, very, extraordinarily)

They were ___________ successful. (amazingly, highly, so)

The concert was _______________ awful. (absolutely, really, terribly)

He is a/an ________________ funny guy. (very, outrageously, too)

This coffee is _________________ strong. (remarkably, really, highly)

I’m ____________ sorry for this mistake. (exceptionally, terribly, very)

It was _________ hot to go for a walk. (really, too, at all)

I felt __________ miserable while I was sick. (very, utterly, incredibly)

He was a/an _______________ brilliant child. (exceptionally, highly, especially)

It’s _____________ cold for this area. (unusually, terribly, so)

I was totally ____________ of the situation. (completely, unaware, absolutely)

INTENSIFIERS They are modifiers that give emphasis and extra strength to the sentence. They belong to the class of adverbs
Intensifiers Exercises The conference was __________ great! (very, really, highly) That jacket is ___________ expensive. (re

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