Upgrade Your English with Intensifiers | A1 English Grammar

Summary

In this lesson from EnglishAcademey101, Michael takes you through the world of intensifiers. The video covers limited intensifiers like 'somewhat' and 'pretty,' strong intensifiers such as 'quite' and 'rather,' and the strongest intensifiers like 'really' and 'extremely.' It also touches on negative intensifiers, including 'at all,' and explains the difference between intensifiers and adverbs of frequency. Michael advises on using varied intensifiers instead of overusing common ones like 'very.' The lesson concludes with practice exercises available on their website to reinforce the learning.

Takeaways

• 😀 Limited intensifiers are the least strong and only slightly emphasize the words they describe (e.g., somewhat, pretty, fairly).
• 😀 Strong intensifiers are more powerful than limited ones and provide a stronger emphasis (e.g., quite, rather).
• 😀 The strongest intensifiers provide the greatest emphasis on the action (e.g., really, very, extremely).
• 😀 'Very' is the most commonly used intensifier in English, but it can be overused, so consider using alternatives.
• 😀 Alternative intensifiers include words like absolutely, extraordinarily, and incredibly, which provide more descriptive emphasis.
• 😀 Negative intensifiers like 'at all' are used to express a lack of something, such as 'I don’t like vegetables at all.'
• 😀 Intensifiers and adverbs of frequency are different: intensifiers increase the strength of an action, while adverbs of frequency indicate how often something occurs.
• 😀 Intensifiers are more commonly used in informal conversations and may be seen as overly flowery in formal settings.
• 😀 Adverbs of frequency give precise details about how often an action happens, unlike intensifiers that focus on the intensity of the action.
• 😀 For more practice with intensifiers, you can visit the website englishacademy101.com, which offers additional exercises.
• 😀 The lesson encourages continued study and exploration of English, especially with tools like the provided website and video chapters.

Q & A

What are intensifiers in the context of the video?

Intensifiers are adverbs used to strengthen the meaning of the words they describe. They help to express the degree or intensity of an action or adjective.

What are limited intensifiers and can you give examples?

Limited intensifiers are the least strong types of intensifiers, adding only a small degree of strength to the words they modify. Examples include 'somewhat', 'pretty', and 'fairly'.

Can you provide some examples of strong intensifiers?

Strong intensifiers increase the intensity of an action or adjective more than limited intensifiers. Examples include 'quite', 'rather', and 'strongly'.

What are the strongest intensifiers and their examples?

The strongest intensifiers show the greatest strength of action or adjective. Examples include 'really', 'very', and 'extremely'.

Why is 'very' considered overused as an intensifier?

'Very' is the most common intensifier in the English language, but because it is used so frequently, it is often considered overused. It's recommended to use more specific, descriptive alternatives.

What are some alternative intensifiers to 'very'?

Some alternatives to 'very' include 'absolutely', 'astoundingly', 'completely', 'dreadfully', 'exceptionally', 'extraordinarily', 'incredibly', and many others.

What is a negative intensifier and how is it used?

A negative intensifier is used to emphasize the absence or negation of something. An example is 'at all', as in 'I don’t like vegetables at all' or 'They didn’t notice it at all'.

How do intensifiers differ from adverbs of frequency?

Intensifiers increase the intensity of an action or adjective, while adverbs of frequency provide more precise information about how often an action occurs. Intensifiers are typically used in informal speech, while adverbs of frequency give more specific timing information.

In what contexts are intensifiers generally used?

Intensifiers are commonly used in informal conversation. In formal settings, using too many intensifiers can be seen as overly flowery or unnecessary.

Where can I find additional exercises to practice intensifiers?

Additional exercises to practice intensifiers are available on the EnglishAcademey101 website. A link to the website is provided in the video description.