Intensifiers

Intensifiers (often called adverbs of degree) usually modify adjectives and adverbs to show intensity (e.g., very cold, too quickly). Some, like really, can also modify verbs (e.g., I really like it).

1. What Are Intensifiers?

Intensifiers give extra information about quantity, degree, or limitation.
They are used to:

• Show something is more than necessary (too)
• Show something is sufficient or adequate (enough)
• Emphasize a strong degree (very, extremely, so, really)

Examples:

• The soup is too hot. → hotter than is comfortable
• She is tall enough to reach the shelf. → sufficient height
• He runs very fast. → strong degree
• I am so happy! → strong emotion

2. Using Too

Too shows that something is more than necessary, acceptable, or possible.

Form:

• too + adjective/adverb (often + to + verb)
• too + adjective + for + object (+ to + verb)
• Indicates a negative outcome or problem

Examples:

• The bag is too heavy for me to carry.
• It’s too cold to swim.
• She speaks too quickly for beginners to understand.
• He arrived too late for the meeting.
• The music was too loud to sleep.
• This box is too big to fit in the car.

Too much and too many

Use too much + uncountable noun and too many + plural countable noun:

• "There is too much noise."
• "There are too many people here." (not too many traffic)
• "There is too much work for me to finish today."
• "There are too many emails to answer."

3. Using Enough

Enough means as much or as many as is needed.

Form:

• Before a noun: enough + noun
  • We have enough chairs for everyone.
  • Do you have enough money to buy it?
• After an adjective or adverb: adjective/adverb + enough (+ for + object)
  • She is tall enough to reach the shelf.
  • He didn’t run fast enough to win the race.
  • The water is warm enough for a swim.

Tip:

Enough can show positive or negative sufficiency:

• Positive: She is old enough to drive.
• Negative: He isn’t strong enough to lift the box.

4. Other Common Intensifiers

Too and enough often use an infinitive to show a practical result (too hot to eat, warm enough to swim). Other intensifiers (very/really/extremely/quite) mainly change degree. So can also show a result with so ... that (so difficult that ...).

In addition to too and enough, other intensifiers show degree or emphasis:

Here is a general strength scale:

Intensifier	Usual strength	Example
slightly	weak	slightly cold
fairly / quite	moderate in BrE — see note	fairly easy / quite easy
very	strong	very cold
extremely	very strong	extremely cold
absolutely / completely / totally	with ungradable adjectives	absolutely freezing / completely wrong

This scale is a guide, not an exact rule. Too and enough are not on it because they show a limit: more than acceptable or sufficient.

• Extremely → very strong, often formal
  • She was extremely upset about the news.
  • The weather is extremely cold today.
• Quite → its strength depends on the adjective, context, and variety of English.
  • The test was quite easy. → fairly easy
  • I’m quite tired, but I can continue.
  • I’m quite sure. → completely sure in this context

Use absolutely, completely, or totally with ungradable adjectives such as freezing and wrong: "It’s absolutely freezing." / "That’s completely wrong." We do not normally say very freezing.

5. Intensifiers and Result Structures

Use one degree intensifier at a time: we normally do not stack words such as very extremely.

Some intensifiers can introduce a result. Keep each pattern clear:

• The box is too heavy to lift.
• She runs fast enough to win.
• The movie was so long that it became boring.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrong placement:
  • Incorrect: She is enough tall. → Correct: She is tall enough.
• Different meanings:
  • "The room isn’t too big" = it is not excessively big.
  • "The room isn’t big enough" = it is smaller than we need.
• Overusing intensifiers unnecessarily:
  • Incorrect: He is very extremely happy. → Correct: He is extremely happy.

7. Key Takeaways

• Intensifiers show degree, sufficiency, or excess.
• Too = more than necessary, often negative.
• Enough = sufficient amount, can be positive or negative.
• Very, so, really, extremely, quite = show strong or moderate emphasis.
• Pay attention to placement: before/after adjectives, before nouns, or with verbs.