We know that certain adverbs are intensifiers.
We can say I am hungry.
Or we say I am very hungry.
Very is an intensifying adverb that increases the intensity of the being hungry.
It’s good to be more accurate by using intensifying adverbs to tell “how much?” But there might be a better way to do that. Think about finding just the right word to mean very hungry.
Can you say you are famished? Ravenous? Underfed? Half-starved?
The adverb very is an overused word. We like to stick it next to an adverb to show how much more intense that action is. However, a good writer will work hard to choose just the right word to get across the intended meaning. Finding an exact word takes more time than just tacking on the adverb very. But using that exactly right word will make your writing all that much stronger.
Here’s another example.
John walked slowly. John walked really slowly.
Really is another intensifying adverb. It gets across the message that John is a slow walker. But what if we were to find a stronger word to describe how John walks?
What about these?
John walked ploddingly. John plodded along.
John walked laggardly. John lagged behind.
John walked haltingly.
Each of these new words is stronger than walked really slowly.
Ploddingly suggests that John is just chugging along, perhaps because he is tired.
Laggardly suggests that John is a bit lazy. He’s just taking his time.
Haltingly suggests that John isn’t quite sure where he is going.
In any case, the new verbs and adverbs lend much more connotation and information to the writing than just saying walked very slowly.
Good writing takes time. Finding the best word to convey your meaning isn’t always easy. But using just the right word brings great satisfaction to you, the writer, and gives greatly expanded information to your reader. Next time you are tempted to use very or extremely or really, ask yourself whether there isn’t a better, more accurate verb you could substitute into the sentence. You’ll be happy you did because your writing will be stronger.