Intensifiers that pair with strong adjectives

Intensifiers in English are words that make an adjective stronger, and learning them is exactly what turns a flat sentence into one that sounds natural and expressive. This lesson is for intermediate learners who already know very and really but want a wider range of options that native speakers actually use.

You already say very interesting or really cold. That works. But English gives you dozens more intensifiers, and picking the right one depends on the kind of adjective you pair it with. That distinction between weak and strong adjectives is where most learners slip up, and it is the heart of this class [01:50].

What are intensifiers and why do they matter?

An intensifier is a word you place before an adjective to increase its force. In the role play, Emily says she has been working incredibly hard, and later that her plan is not completely good in everyone's eyes [00:56]. Both incredibly and completely push the adjective up a notch.

What is an intensifier in English? It is a word that makes an adjective stronger. Instead of cold, you say incredibly cold. The adjective stays the same, but the meaning intensifies.

The two most common intensifiers are very and really, words you likely use every day:

• It's a very interesting movie.
• It's a really interesting story.

Those are safe, but relying only on them makes your English sound repetitive.

Which intensifiers can replace very and really?

English offers a rich set of alternatives, and mixing them in makes your speech more precise. The lesson groups the most common ones with clear examples [02:19].

The first group includes amazingly, exceptionally, and incredibly:

• That painting is amazingly beautiful.
• It's been exceptionally cold in September.
• He came incredibly close to driving off the cliff.

The second group covers particularly, remarkably, and unusually:

• Be particularly careful when driving at night.
• You look remarkably beautiful today.
• The weather has been unusually warm this time of year.

Notice how particularly signals extra attention, not just a general boost. That nuance is what separates a good sentence from a great one.

How do weak and strong adjectives change the rules?

Here is where it gets interesting. English adjectives come in two flavors: weak and strong [03:14]. A weak adjective describes something in a plain, neutral way. A strong adjective already carries an extreme meaning built in.

Instead of stacking very onto a weak adjective, you can swap it for a single strong adjective that says it all:

• very big becomes enormous or huge.
• very small becomes tiny.
• very clever becomes brilliant.
• very bad becomes awful, terrible, disgusting, or dreadful.
• very good becomes excellent, ideal, wonderful, or splendid.
• very tasty becomes delicious.
• very sure becomes certain.

And here comes the key rule.

Can you say very awful? No. Awful is already a strong adjective, so very does not fit. Use really, absolutely, or completely instead: the film was really awful.

Which intensifiers pair with strong adjectives?

When your adjective is already strong, reach for a different set of intensifiers: absolutely, completely, exceptionally, particularly, really, quite, totally, and utterly [04:07]. These match the intensity of the adjective without sounding awkward.

Look at how it works in practice:

• The film was really awful.
• That girl is exceptionally brilliant.
• I am absolutely starving.

Instead of very hungry, you jump straight to absolutely starving. It feels more vivid, and it sounds like something a native speaker would actually say.

How can you practice using these intensifiers?

The class closes with a hands-on task, and this is where you lock the concept in. Your challenge is to write one sentence for each of these intensifiers: completely, incredibly, exceptionally, totally, and particularly [05:04].

Keep the core rule in mind as you build them:

• Use very or really with weak adjectives like big or small.
• Use absolutely, completely, or totally with strong adjectives like huge, enormous, or awful.

When should I use absolutely instead of very? Use absolutely with strong adjectives. Say absolutely starving, not very starving, because starving already means extremely hungry.

There is a full list of weak and strong adjectives waiting for you in the resources section, so you can expand your vocabulary beyond these examples. Once you have written your five sentences, drop them in the discussion panel. Share your favorite pairing in the comments and see how others build theirs.