Friday 10 February 2012

ADJECTIVE INTENSIFIERS





There are some words which can be used to 'intensify' many adjectives – 'very' 'really' 'totally' 'absolutely' 'completely' 'utterly' 'entirely'.
    • It's very tall.
    • We're really happy.
    • She's totally exhausted.
    • I'm absolutely horrified.
    • He's completely hopeless.
    • You look utterly miserable.
    • I'm entirely satisfied.
Certain adjectives have their own 'special' intensifiers which are often used with them. Here are some common ones:
blind drunk
    • He was blind drunk and behaved in a really bad way.
bone dry
    • I must have a drink. I'm bone dry.
brand new
    • I've just bought a brand new car.
crystal clear
    • The sea near Rhodes is crystal clear.
dead easy
    • That exam was dead easy. I've certainly passed.
    • He's won three lottery prizes this year. He's dead lucky.
dead right
    • I agree entirely. You are dead right.
dirt cheap
    • I bought my car for a dirt cheap price from an old lady who had hardly driven it.
fast asleep / sound asleep
    • I was in bed and fast asleep by nine.
    • I was sound asleep and I didn't hear anything.
paper thin
    • These office walls are paper thin. You can hear everything said in the next office.
pitch black
    • There's no moon. It's pitch black out there.
razor sharp
    • Be careful with that knife- it's razor sharp.
rock hard
    • It's impossible to dig this soil – it's rock hard.
stark naked
    • The hotel door slammed behind me and I was left standing stark naked in the middle of the corridor.
stone deaf
    • He can't hear a thing. He's stone deaf.
wide awake
    • I was wide awake by six.
wide open
    • Who left the door wide open?

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