Grammar: Groups and phrases: Adjective group

Structure of the adjective group

Adjective + adverb of degree

We can form an adjective group by adding an adverb of degree to the adjective (very quick, quite slow). The adverb of degree can make the description stronger or softer

Making the description stronger

If we want to describe something in a forceful way, we can use an 'intensifying adverb' in the adjective group:

Commonly used adverbs of degree (or 'intensifiers') include:

awfully	so
extremely	terribly
incredibly	too
perfectly	unbelievably
quite	utterly
really	very

She was awfully upset.
The flowers are extremely beautiful.
He is quite mad.
It is a very boring play.
I am so very tired.

Making the description softer

Sometimes we want to describe something in a less forceful way, or ‘tone down’ our description:

He was tired.

Commonly used ‘down-toners’ include:

She was a bit upset.
The flowers are rather beautiful.
He is kind of mad.
It is a rather boring play.
I am fairly tired.

For more information on adverbs of degree, see Grammar: Word Classes: Adverbs: Expressing degree