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fox1 · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 268

hey! Sounds like a funny question, but I have slowly (through teaching) noticed that the word "very" isn't very natural at all, in SPOKEN English.

I'm wondering what you think.

Do you say "really" more than "very", in common conversation?

For some time, when students say things like "The movie was very fantastic", or "It was very fun", I steer them towards "really".

"very much" is OK.

But, in general, I'm with "really". how about you!?

adamsmith · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 259 Location: wuhan

I guess it all depends on how emphatic I want to be whether I use very, really, or another of my favorourite emphasis words that begins with F.....

It was a very funny movie (I am bored)

It was a really funny movie (It was funny)

That movie was f...in' hillarious (I still can't stop laughing)

No Moss · Joined: 15 Apr 2003 Posts: 1995 Location: Thailand

I don't really use either one very much.

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

Lobster · Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:59 am Post subject:

I think either choice is better than using 'so'. 'So' is useful but creates anticipatory situations.

"I think she's so beautiful."
vs.
"She's so beautiful that no man can resist her."

When I hear 'so', I'm usually anticipating additional information or a result.

I use 'very' and 'really' in different ways. 'Very' for me carries the idea of 'extremely', while 'really' implies 'truly'. That why 'very fantastic' sounds odd. Because fantastic already implies an extreme degree, it sounds redundant. It was 'really fantastic' doesn't sound nearly so warped to my ears.

RED

Leon Purvis · Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:00 am Post subject:

In speech, I use both. In written discourse, I avoid both because of their vaguely descriptive properties.

I prefer my students to use 'very' over 'really' mainly because 'really' is too easily misused and misunderstood.

'Very' has its own problems for students. Getting students to stop saying things such as 'I very like playing computer games' is difficult.

I read an American study a number of years ago which found that women tended to use the word "really" more often than men do. I think the agenda of the study was to show that women feel somewhat less empowered than men do.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

Try to contrast some sentences our students routinely produce:

"The food is VERY delicious" versus "the food is REALLY delicious!"

Some adjectives simply don't suffer comparisons - the sentence using "fantastic" for example. "Really" really suits it better!

vikdk · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 1676