Adverb groups

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Adverb groups

Intensifying adverbs

Some actions can have different levels of intensity.

For example, in this next snippet, how tightly is the waxy skin stretched over the bones of his face?

The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanJ.K. RowlingSource

The skin was stretched so tightly.

The word 'tightly' is what we call a qualifier adverb, which tells us the quality of the action: the skin is stretched tightly.

In contrast, the word 'so' is an intensifier adverb, which tells us how tightly: the skin is stretched so tightly.

We can highlight each component separately like this:

The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanJ.K. RowlingSource
Do the words 'intensifier' and 'qualifier' sound familiar?
How do you tell the difference between an intensifier and a qualifier?

Here's a different snippet. How did the board creak?

The board creaked most terribly and they all ducked down, waiting for something awful to happen.

The Fantastic Mr FoxRoald DahlSource

It creaked most terribly.

Let's change the intensifier and the qualifier:

The board creaked quite loudly and they all ducked down, waiting for something awful to happen.

The board creaked right then and they all ducked down, waiting for something awful to happen.

Here's a list of intensifying adverbs for reference/inspiration
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