Intensifiers

1. What are intensifiers?

Intensifiers (also called degree words) are small words that change the strength of an adjective or adverb. Some make the meaning stronger, and others soften or weaken it. They help us describe feelings, opinions, and things more clearly.

The main pattern is: intensifier + adjective.

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

2. Common degree words

Stronger: very, really, and so

Use these words to make an adjective stronger.

Very and really are close in strength. Really is very common in conversation. So often sounds more emotional: I am so happy!

Here is a simple scale: a little / a bit < pretty < very / really < so.

A small amount: a little and a bit

Use these softeners when the quality is only small.

Other common words: pretty and quite

Pretty is an informal, spoken word. It often means “fairly”: usually stronger than a little, but weaker than very or really.

• The film was pretty good.
• It is pretty cold, but not freezing.
• The food is pretty good, but it is not very good.

Avoid pretty in formal writing.

Quite often means “fairly” in British English: The film is quite good. In American English, it can be closer to “very”.

With adverbs

Degree words can also change an adverb.

• He drives very slowly.
• She speaks really quickly.

3. Too and enough

Too means more than we want or need, so there is a problem. Enough means as much as we need.

Meaning	Example
strong, but fine	The soup is very hot.
more than I want — a problem	The soup is too hot.
less than I need	It isn’t warm enough.

Enough comes after an adjective, but before a noun: warm enough / enough chairs. Use too + adjective + for + person and adjective + enough + to + verb:

• It is too hot for me.
• I cannot drink it: it is too hot.
• It is warm enough to sit outside.
• We have enough chairs.

4. Word order

With an adjective before a noun, very and really go before the adjective: a very good film. After a linking verb such as be, feel, look, or seem, put the degree word before the adjective: The film is very good.

• It is a very good film.
• The film is very good.
• I feel really tired.
• She looks really tired.

Use so, a bit, and a little before an adjective after be, feel, look, or seem. In this use, do not put them before a noun.

• The film was so good.
• The bag is a bit heavy.
• She looks a little nervous.

A little can also be a quantifier before a noun: a little water / a little time.

5. Common mistakes

Incorrect	Correct	Why?
“The room is not enough warm.”	“The room is not warm enough.”	Enough comes after an adjective.
“We have chairs enough.”	“We have enough chairs.”	Enough comes before a noun.
“She is real tired.”	“She is really tired.”	Use the adverb really before an adjective.
“The soup is very freezing.”	“The soup is freezing.”	Do not use very with extreme adjectives.
“The soup is very hot, so I cannot eat it.”	“The soup is too hot, so I cannot eat it.”	Very hot is strong but can be fine; too hot means there is a problem.

6. Key takeaways

• Very, really, and so make an adjective stronger.
• A little and a bit mean a small amount.
• Before a noun, use very or really before the adjective: a very good film. After be, feel, look, or seem, say The film is very good.
• Use so, a bit, and a little after a linking verb: The bag is a bit heavy.
• Very and really are close; really is common in conversation, and so is often more emotional.
• Too means there is a problem; enough comes after an adjective but before a noun: warm enough / enough chairs.