2.2.- Intensifying adverbs.

Sometimes, when we describe something or some experience, we want to give emphasis so as to express our feelings and emotions associated to it. This emphasis can be conveyed by what can be called intensifiers.

• Intensifiers are degree adverbs and can be used:
  • Before gradable adjectives, that is adjectives which express qualities that can exist in different degrees. For example: big, comfortable, common, dirty, important, quiet, rich, young…

    Intensifying adverbs which can be used with gradable adjectives are: awfully, extremely, deeply, fairly, hugely, immensely, pretty, rather, really, reasonably, slightly, terribly, very.

  • Before non-gradable adjectives, that is adjectives which express extreme qualities. For example: awful, dreadful, enormous, furious, huge, impossible, invaluable, terrible, wonderful, useless…

    Intensifying adverbs which can be used with non-gradable adjectives are: absolutely, completely, entirely, pretty, really, simply, totally, utterly.

• Intensifying adverbs can be positive or negative:
  • It was an amazingly large amount of money (positive)
  • An awfully bad negotiation (negative)
  • Sometimes a negative intensifier is used before a positive adjective, what produces a confusing effect. However, it results in great emphasis. This is particularly popular with upper-class British people.
  • What a ridiculously interesting thing! (negative intensifier + positive adjective)
  • Intensifiers can be divided into amplifiers and downtoners.
    • Amplifiers are those which increase or amplify the quality or state expressed by the adjective. The most common amplifiers are: absolutely, amazingly, deeply, entirely, really, so, strongly, terribly, too, totally, very…
      • It was really good!
      • Is it so expensive?
      • She's very happy now.
      • That was too bad.
    • Downtoners are those adverbs which decrease the quality or state expressed by the adjective. The most common downtoners are: barely, fairly, hardly, quite, rather, relatively, slightly, somewhat…
      • It was rather late.
      • That's quite interesting.
      • It's a slightly humorous article.
      • He was somewhat offended.