Intensifiers

1. What are intensifiers?

Intensifiers are words that change the strength of an adjective or adverb.

Form: intensifier + adjective/adverb

Examples:

• very happy
• really tired
• a little tired

Intensifiers help us describe feelings, opinions, and situations more clearly.

2. Common intensifiers

2.1 Strong intensifiers

These make adjectives/adverbs stronger.

Very

Very is common and neutral.

Examples:

• very hot
• very tired
• very expensive

Sentences:

• It is very hot today.
• She is very tired.
• This restaurant is very expensive.

Really

Really often sounds a little stronger or more natural in conversation.

Examples:

• really good
• really cold
• really interesting

Sentences:

• The movie was really good.
• I am really hungry.
• The water is really cold.

So

So is often more emotional or expressive.

Examples:

• so beautiful
• so exciting
• so difficult

Sentences:

• This cake is so good!
• I am so happy today.
• That test was so difficult.

2.2 Weak intensifiers

These show a small degree.

A little

Meaning: A little = small (weak).

Examples:

• a little tired
• a little nervous
• a little cold

Sentences:

• I am a little tired.
• She feels a little nervous.
• The soup is a little cold.

A bit

A bit is very common in spoken English.

Examples:

• a bit hungry
• a bit expensive
• a bit noisy

Sentences:

• The room is a bit noisy.
• This bag is a bit heavy.
• I feel a bit sick.

3. Word order

Correct structure

Intensifier + adjective/adverb

Examples:

• very happy
• really cold
• a little tired
• so interesting

Common sentence pattern

Subject + be + intensifier + adjective

Examples:

• She is very friendly.
• I am really tired.
• The water is a bit cold.
• This movie is so funny.

4. Intensifiers with linking verbs

Intensifiers are commonly used after linking verbs like:

• be
• feel
• look
• seem

Examples:

• I feel really tired.
• She looks very happy.
• The food seems a bit strange.

5. Common learner mistake

Incorrect:

• I very like this movie. ✗

Correct:

• I really like this movie. ✓

Very usually does not go before a verb.

6. Comparing strength

Typical strength (can change with voice and context):

a bit / a little (weak) → very (strong) → really (often strong, common in speech) → so (very strong / emotional)

Examples:

• The water is a bit cold.
• The water is very cold.
• The water is really cold.
• The water is so cold!

7. Key takeaways

• Intensifiers change the strength of adjectives.
• Very, really, and so make adjectives stronger.
• A bit and a little make adjectives weaker.
• Intensifiers usually come before adjectives.
• Very is neutral, really is conversational, and so is more emotional.