Intensifying adverbs
In English there are lots of other ways of saying very or very much. For example, we can
use words such as highly, utterly, bitterly, deeply. These alternatives collocate strongly with
specific words, and other combinations often sound unnatural.
Highly
collocations
(un)fikely unusual successful competitive
profitable effective controversial
recommended
comments
Highly is used with some probability words (likely,
unusua/). With the exception of highly
controversial it usually combines with very
positive words. Extremely can also be used
with all the opposite adjectives except recommended.
It is highly unlikely that I'll finish my work on time.
Jill's highly unusual behaviour began to worry her parents.
Absolutely, utterly
collocations
ridiculous stupid impossible wrong
alone appalled convinced devastated
miserable
comments
Absolutely and (slightly more formal) utterly combine
with adjectives with very extreme meanings where we
can't use very. For example, we say absolutely/utterly
exhausted, not vefy exhausted, whereas we say very tired,
but not absolutely or utterly tired. Often, but not always,
these words have negative connotations.
It was an absolutely stupid comment to make.
The whole area was utterly devastated after the earthquake.

The restaurant was ridiculously expensive. I don't think we'll go there again.
I would strongly recommend that you learn a foreign language.
16 English Collocations in Use
Exercises
Choose an adverb from the box to replace very in each of these expressions.
utterly strongly bitterly ridiculously highly deeply
1 very ashamed
2 very cheap
3 very controversial
4 very stupid
5 very successful
6 very disappointing
7 very opposed
8 very ridiculous
9 very easy
10 very concerned
Use a collocation from exercise 6.1 to complete each of these sentences.
1 The flight from London to Rome was It only cost 20 euros.
2 Some people love her new book, others are very angry about it. It is
to war.
for the whole class. We had all
3 His father was a pacifist all his life and was
4 The exam results were
expected to do much better.
5 When I realised how much my selfish behaviour had upset everyone, I was
company which made outstanding
remark
6 In the 1990s she ran a(n)
profits.
7 Everyone got more than 95% correct in the test; it was

Make
collocation
make arrangements for
make a change / changes
make a choice
make a comment /
comments
make a contribution to
make a decision
make an effort
make an excuse
make friends
make an improvement
make a mistake
make a phone calf
make progress
example
The school can make arrangements for pupils with special needs.
The new manager is planning to make some changes.
Jill had to make a choice between her career and her family.
Would anyone like to make any comments on the talk?
She made a useful contribution to the discussion.
I'm glad it's you who has to make the decision, not me.
Joe is really making an effort with his maths this term.
I'm too tired to go out tonight. Let's make an excuse and stay at home.
Karen is very good at making friends.
Repainting the room has really made an improvement.
They've made a mistake in our bill.
I've got to make some phone calls before dinner.
Harriet is making progress with all her schoolwork.

18 English Collocations in Use
Exercises
7.1 Use a collocation with make and a noun instead of the underlined words in each of these
conversations.
1 Miriam: The bill says we've had three desserts. We only had two.
Rosa: The waiter must have been mistaken.
2 Kim: It's so difficult. Should I take the job or not?
Todd: I know it's difficult. But you have to decide one way or the other.
3 Jane: Can you and Brian come to dinner on Saturday?
Jill: Yes, we'll have to arrange to get a babysitter, but it should be OK.
4 Brona: Did you hear about the air traffic controllers' strike in the USA?
Aaron: Yes. We had to change our travel itinerary because of it.
5 Pete: Can I have chips and rice with my lunch?
Clare: No, you have to choose, chips or rice, but not both.
6 Fran: Do you intend to speak at the meeting?
Gloria: Yes, I hope I can contribute to the debate.
7.2 Choose the correct collocation, do or make.
1 Did the fire do / make much damage to the factory?
2 I hate doing I making my homework at the last minute.
3 You must do I make an effort to work harder.
4 Did you do I make any work at the weekend?
5 We are trying to do I make improvements to the system for registering.
6 Do you think it would do I make any harm if I cut some leaves off this plant?
7.3 You are designing a questionnaire for your school magazine. Complete each question with
do or make.
ffm MZ M*t t{0nf
1 Do you always your best to be on
time when meeting a friend?
2 Do you ever the cooking at home?
3 Do you excuses if someone asks

Go is used for changes in people's personality, appearance and physical abilities:
People go mad/bald/grey/blind/deaf.
Go is often used for sudden, usually negative, changes:
He was very embarrassed and his face went red.
Suddenly the sky went very dark and it started to rain.
Go can also be used for slower colour changes:
The pages of the book had gone yellow over the years.
Turn, not get
Turn often collocates with colours:
The sky turned gold as the sun set.
When the tomatoes turn red, the farmers pick them and sell them.
The news gave his mother such a shock that her hair turned white overnight.
Get and become
Get and become can often be used with the same collocations, but become is more formal
and is therefore more appropriate in essays:
She gave up smoking when she became pregnant.
I would like to become involved in raising money for charity.
The same is true for collocations with adjectives such as angry, bored, excited, depressed,
upset, impatient, violent:
He became depressed after his wife's death.
Become, not get, is used with the following: extinct, (un)popular, homeless, famous.
Our local baker's has become famous for its apple tarts.
Alternatives to get and become
She fell ill and was taken to hospital.
Everyone fell silent when they heard the shocking news.
As my father grew older, he spent less time working.
The noise grew louder and soon we realised it was a plane approaching.
Overusing and misusing get
Here are some sentences from students' essays where get is wrongly used.
sentences with get