Beyond 'Very': Using Stronger Adjectives
One of the fastest ways to make your English sound more advanced and intelligent is to upgrade your adjectives. Let's learn how to replace "very + adjective" with more powerful words.
Why Avoid 'Very'?
More Impactful: Strong adjectives carry more emotion and create a clearer picture in the listener's mind. "The movie was fantastic" is much stronger than "The movie was very good."
More Efficient: Why use two words when one will do? It makes your speaking and writing more concise and professional.
Shows a Wider Vocabulary: Using a variety of descriptive words demonstrates a higher level of English proficiency and makes your language more interesting.
Adjective Upgrade Chart
| Instead of... (Weak) | Try... (Strong) |
|---|---|
| very good | excellent, fantastic, superb, outstanding |
| very bad | awful, terrible, horrible, dreadful |
| very happy | ecstatic, elated, thrilled, joyful |
| very sad | miserable, heartbroken, devastated, sorrowful |
| very big | enormous, huge, gigantic, massive |
| very small | tiny, minuscule, microscopic, minute |
| very tired | exhausted, drained, fatigued, worn out |
| very interesting | fascinating, captivating, engrossing, intriguing |
| very angry | furious, enraged, irate, livid |
| very scared | terrified, petrified, horrified, fearful |
Let's Practice!
How could you rewrite these sentences with stronger adjectives?
1. The weather is very bad today. → The weather is awful today.
2. I am very happy with my test score. → I am thrilled with my test score.
3. That is a very big building. → That is a massive building.
4. I felt very scared during the horror movie. → I felt terrified during the horror movie.