Intensifying adverbs
Intensifying adverbs are used with particular verbs and adjectives. This is called collocation. Try the exercise to check you know which adverbs usually go with which verbs. e.g.
- strongly disagree
- completely understand
- quite like
Choose the correct adverb to complete the sentence.
1. [Multiple choice]
The film was ….. good, but I’m not sure I would recommend it to anyone.
(here we have no strong feelings so ‘quite’ is the best choice)
Answers for Quiz [1].
- 1. completely
- 2. quite (correct)
- 3. seriously
2. [Multiple choice]
Congratulations! I’m sure you’ll make ….. good parents.
(‘terribly’ is possible but a little too strong. We wouldn’t use ‘totally’ here (although it might be used in American English).)
Answers for Quiz [2].
- 1. really (correct)
- 2. terribly
- 3. totally
3. [Multiple choice]
I’m ….. determined to pass my driving test.
(‘determined’ is a very strong verb so we need a corresponding adverb and ‘absolutely’ is the strongest here)
Answers for Quiz [3].
- 1. absolutely (correct)
- 2. quite
- 3. seriously
4. [Multiple choice]
I know she finds computers ….. difficult.
(it is a problem for her, we wouldn’t use the other two adverbs with ‘difficult’)
Answers for Quiz [4].
- 1. totally
- 2. utterly
- 3. extremely (correct)
5. [Multiple choice]
He ….. enjoyed working with you.
(‘absolutely’ might be possible but it is perhaps too strong, ‘perfectly’ isn’t appropriate here)
Answers for Quiz [5].
- 1. absolutely
- 2. thoroughly (correct)
- 3. perfectly
6. [Multiple choice]
I’m so sorry, I ….. forgot about our meeting.
(‘really’ isn’t appropriate and ‘entirely’ a little too strong)
Answers for Quiz [6].
- 1. entirely
- 2. really
- 3. completely (correct)