Speak Smart: Drop "Very" and Use These Words Instead! (S-W)

Many test takers don't spend much time ensuring the accuracy of their word choice during their CELPIP test preparation. Don't make the same mistake.

Trim off unnecessary words from your written and spoken responses. Start by taking the word "very" off of your vocabulary. Refrain from relying on it to highlight the extremity of adverbs and adjectives. Use concise adjectives instead. Check out the list below to find out just how much of a difference dropping "very" can make on your speech and essays.

	What to use instead of “very”	Examples
very surprised	bewildered, shocked, astounded	They were very surprised by the results of the competition. They were shocked by the results of the competition.
very sweet	thoughtful, charming, pleasant	He is very sweet and optimistic. He is thoughtful and optimistic.
very talented	gifted, accomplished	Don’t underestimate her. She is a very talented artist. Don’t underestimate her. She is an accomplished artist.
very tall	towering, soaring	The condominium building is very tall. The condominium building is towering.
very tasty	delicious, delectable	The restaurant’s ravioli dish is very tasty. You should try it. The restaurant’s ravioli dish is delicious. You should try it.
very thin	slender, delicate	He’s an experienced artisan. He can create very thin and detailed sculptures. He’s an experienced artisan. He can create delicate and intricate sculptures.
very thirsty	parched	The trek left everyone very thirsty and tired. The trek left everyone parched and exhausted.
very tiny	minuscule, insignificant	I wouldn’t have noticed the mistake on the replica if you didn’t point it out. It is very tiny. I wouldn’t have noticed the mistake on the replica if you didn’t point it out. It is minuscule.
very tired	weary, exhausted	He is always very tired after attending his intensive CELPIP Philippines sessions.  He is always exhausted after attending his intensive CELPIP Philippines sessions.
very ugly	appalling, hideous, horrible	That color combination is very ugly. You need to change it. That color combination is horrible. You need to change it.
very unhappy	miserable, despondent	He was very unhappy when she left. He was miserable when she left.
very upset	distraught, distressed	She was very upset when she heard the news.  She was distraught when she heard the news.
very valuable	precious, treasured	The pendant is very valuable to him. The pendant is precious to him.
very warm	hot, humid	It is very warm. Leave your jacket at home. It is hot. Leave your jacket at home.

Keep in mind that these are only some of the adjectives that you can use as an alternative to the word "very." Enroll in the best CELPIP test preparation course in your area to learn more!

References:

Wong, Kristin. “This Infographic Lists 128 Words You Can Use Instead of “Very.” Life Hacker. June 29, 2016. Accessed December 18, 2018. http://lifehacker.com/this-infographic-lists-128-words-you-can-use-instead-of-1782748063

Frost, Jennifer. “147 Words to Use Instead of “Very” (Infographic).” Grammar Check. November 21, 2016. Accessed December 18, 2018. http://www.grammarcheck.net/very/

“128 Words to Use Instead of "Very".”Proof Reading Services. Accessed December 18, 2018. https://www.proofreadingservices.com/pages/very