INTENSIFIERS

Ingles IV
 THEORY
Intensifiers are adverbs or adverbial phrases that strengthen
the meaning of other expressions and show emphasis. Words
that we commonly use as intensifiers include absolutely,
completely, extremely, highly, rather, really, so, too, totally,
utterly, very and at all.

Los intensificadores son adverbios o frases adverbiales que

fortalecen el significado de otras expresiones y muestran
énfasis. Las palabras que comúnmente usamos como
intensificadores incluyen absolutamente, completamente,
extremadamente, muy/altamente, más bien, realmente,
también, totalmente, completamente, muy y en absoluto.
 EXAMPLES

She was so upset. I felt extremely sorry for her.

She has a very strict teacher.
Quick Fact
Don’t work too hard. Sometimes you’ll get more done by relaxing a bit.
I don’t think she understood the topic and her essay was rather a mess. What On Earth?... es una
She’s really offended her sister. expresion informal que en
español podría traducirse
At all is a very common intensifier with negative expressions: cómo ¿Qué demonios? o
Are there no suitable DVDs at all? ¿Qué diablos?
I’m afraid I’m not at all interested.

We also use on earth and ever as intensifiers with wh-words:

What on earth is he doing? (suggests disapproval)
Why did I ever invite them to stay with us? (suggests that there were
problems)
 INTENSIFIERS WITH STRONG ADJECTIVES
Strong adjectives are words like:

We do not normally use very with these adjectives. We do not say something is very
enormous or someone is very brilliant.
With strong adjectives, we normally use intensifiers like:
Some intensifiers go with particular INTENSIFIERS WITH
adjectives depending on the meaning of the PARTICULAR ADJECTIVES
adjective:

1. I'm afraid your wife is dangerously ill.

2. The engine was dangerously hot.
3. The car was seriously damaged.
4. Fortunately none of the passengers was seriously hurt.

Some intensifiers go with particular adjectives. For example, we use the intensifier highly with
the adjectives successful, intelligent, likely and unlikely:

1. He was highly intelligent.

2. She’s a highly successful businesswoman.

but we do NOT say:

1. We had a highly tasty meal.

2. That is a highly good idea.
INTENSIFIERS WITH COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
We use these words and phrases as intensifiers
with comparative adjectives:

We use much and far as intensifiers with

comparative adjectives in front of a noun:

1. France is a much bigger country than Britain.

1. He is much older than me. 2. He is a far better player than Ronaldo.
2. New York is a lot bigger than Boston.
We use easily and by far as intensifiers with
superlative adjectives:

1. The blue whale is easily the biggest animal in

the world.
2. This car was by far the most expensive.
 BRYAN ANUAR ESPINOSA GONZÁLEZ 1

THANKS FOR YOUR REGINA DALIT GARCIA PÉREZ 2

ATTENTION
JULIETTE GERALDINE MORA HERNÁNDEZ 3

ARELY YAMILETH LÓPEZ MOLINA 4

ALAN RODRÍGUEZ ORTEGA 5

PERLA JAQUELINE MORALES JIMÉNEZ 6

EDWART HANSEL PEREZ LUNA 7