stop saying 'I Very Like': fix your english with 'Really'

Confused about when to use 'very' and 'really'? You're not alone. Many English learners mix them up, especially in phrases like 'I very like' or 'I very enjoy.' This blog aims to clarify their use, with straightforward examples and tips.

"Very": Amplifying Adjectives and Adverbs

"Very" is used to increase the intensity of an adjective or an adverb. It cannot be used directly before a verb. 

Here's how to use "very" correctly:

• With Adjectives: "She is very tall." (Correct)

• With Adverbs: "He runs very quickly." (Correct)

Non-examples:

• "I very like this movie." (Incorrect)

• "They very enjoy going to the gym." (Incorrect)

"Really": A flexible Intensifier

"Really" can be used in front of adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, making it a really flexible choice for adding emphasis.

• With Adjectives: "This book is really interesting." (Correct)

• With Adverbs: "She speaks really slowly." (Correct)

• With Verbs: "I really enjoy playing tennis." (Correct)

Examples and Usage

To further clarify, let's look at some sentences:

1. Very can go before adjectives, not verbs

2. Correct: "She is very excited about the trip." (very + adjective😀)

3. Incorrect: "She very needs to take a vacation." (should use ‘really’🙁)

1. Really can go before verbs, very cannot 

2. Correct: "He really wants to go home." (really + verb😀)

3. Incorrect: "He very wants to go home." (should use ‘really’🙁)

4. Correct: “they really enjoy running in the field” (really + verb 😀)

5. Incorrect: "They very enjoy running in the field." (should use “really” 🙁)

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7. Very and really can both go before adverbs

8. Correct: "They run very fast." (very + adverb😀)

9. Correct: “they run really fast”  (really + adverb😀)

In simple words, the word “very” can ONLY go before adjectives and adverbs, NOT verbs. And the word “really” can go before adjectives, adverbs AND verbs. So “really” can do more things than “very”.

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Key points to remember:

• Use "very" to make adjectives and adverbs stronger.

• Use "really" when you want to intensify adjectives, adverbs, AND verbs.

• Avoid "very" with verbs. Instead, use "really" for verbs.

Conclusion

This article was made because I always hear my students say “I very liked the movie” or “I very enjoy going to the gym.” I thought this article would be a great way to help many students avoid a common mistake. I hope this helped, and avoiding using “very” improperly is one big step towards sounding like a native. 

Best of luck, I’ll see you in the next post. Bye! 😀