Grammar: intensifier

intensifier

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/OJiih/language-focus-intensifiers-normal-vs-strong-adjectives

Almost all of the time, an intensifier comes before an adjective. Think about the examples we just said, very came before excited and really came before smart.

However, the word enough is an intensifier that follows an irregular form. The intensifier enough comes after the adjective. For example, we might say he is strong enough to carry the heavy box or she's old enough to drive a car.

  

intensifier: very, really or extremely,  incredibly, exceptionally, particularly, unusually and amazingly.

Strong adjectives include words like enormous, tiny, amazing, and awful. Enormous means very big, tiny means very small, amazing means very good and awful means very bad. These words have the intensifier very in their definition already. Therefore, you must be careful to not use very as an intensifier as well. Instead, you should choose another intensifier such as absolutely, extremely, particularly and really.

Summary: Intensifiers are words that make adjectives stronger. Intensifiers usually come before an adjective, except in the case of the word enough which comes after the adjective (My feet have grown and the shoes are not big enough). Strong adjectives have the word very in the definition. Therefore, be careful not to use the intensifier very with those words.

 I cannot wear my favorite shoes anymore. My feet have grown and the shoes are not big ______________.

particularly

enough  (***)

both answers are correct

My uncle is ________________ funny. When my sister and I visit him, we don’t stop laughing.

very

really

both answers are correct (***)

After traveling for a year, I was ________________ excited to see my family.

both answers are correct (***)

incredibly

extremely

The movie we watched last night was ________________ fantastic.    

very

absolutely (***)

both answers are correct

Intensifier Use

Which of the following is a strong adjective?

angry

enormous  (***)

smart

excited

Which intensifier does not go with strong adjectives?       

totally

completely

really 

very  (***)

True or False: Intensifiers usually come before an adjective.

True (***)

False

Which intensifier comes after the adjective?

very 

enough

extremely (***)

really 

Choose the correct sentence:

The food we ate at the new restaurant was very amazing.

The food we ate at the new restaurant was really amazing.(***)