A practical english grammar - Vyssaja skola 1978
The use of intensifiers with adjectives
Sound symbols
An intensifier is an adverb or adverbial expression that strengthens or emphasizes the meaning of an adjective. When an intensifier is used with an adjective that precedes a noun, it comes just before the adjective, after the noun determiner if one is present.
a/an ... difficult decision
This decision is ... difficult.
Any of the following words could be used in the blanks:
Formal style: very, rather, somewhat, fairly, extremely
Informal: pretty, really, awfully, terribly
Despite its name, “intensifier” can also weaken the strength of an adjective.
He’s a fairly good pianist.
The intensifier quite usually comes before a/an, but follows other noun determiners.
quite a difficult decision
two quite difficult decisions
The intensifier enough follows the adjective.
a difficult enough decision
Intensifiers with the comparative and with other intensifiers. The intensifier much may be used before more or the -er form of an adjective.
a much more difficult decision
two much harder decisions
Some intensifiers are used before adjectives only when the latter occur in the predicate: too, so, a bit.
These shoes are too (so, a bit) large.
Too, more, and the -er forms of adjectives can be preceded by any of the following:
somewhat quite a bit just a little
much a good deal just a bit
lots a great deal bigger
a (whole) lot a little more difficult
a (good) bit a (little) bit too difficult
The word more, or the -er forms of adjectives, can be preceded by still, no, and not any.
She is beautiful, but her sister is still more beautiful.
This house is no bigger than the other.
This house is not any bigger than the other.
Informal intensifiers. There are a number of intensifiers used before adjectives in the predicate in informal style that do not occur in formal language.
This coffee is good and hot, just the way I like it.
It’s nice and hot.
I’m kind of tired today.
That sounds sort of strange.