What Are Degree Modifiers in English?
Degree modifiers are words that change the strength or intensity of other words, usually adjectives and adverbs. They help us describe things more precisely.
Think of them as volume controls for your descriptions. They can make an adjective stronger, weaker, or indicate a specific amount.
- Very et so make descriptions stronger.
- Enough means ‘sufficient’.
- Too means ‘excessive’.
- Such intensifies nouns.
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When Do We Use ‘Enough’?
Enough means ‘as much or as many as necessary’ or ‘sufficient’.
- After adjectives and adverbs:
We place enough after an adjective or adverb.
He isn’t tall enough to reach the top shelf.
She didn’t work fast enough to finish on time.
- Before nouns:
We place enough before a noun (countable or uncountable).
Do you have enough money for the tickets?
There aren’t enough chairs for everyone.
- With ‘for’ and ‘to + infinitive’:
We often use enough with for + someone/something ou to + infinitive to explain the purpose or result.
The car is big enough for our whole family.
He is strong enough to lift that box.
Understanding ‘Too’
Too means ‘more than is necessary, acceptable, or desirable’. It often has a negative connotation.
- Before adjectives and adverbs:
We place too before an adjective or adverb.
This soup is too salty.
You’re driving too fast.
- With ‘much’ and ‘many’ before nouns:
Nous utilisons too much with uncountable nouns and too many with plural countable nouns.
There’s too much sugar in my tea.
I have too many things to do today.
- With ‘for’ and ‘to + infinitive’:
Semblable à enough, too can be followed by for + someone/something ou to + infinitive.
The jacket is too small for me.
It’s too cold to go outside.
- Meaning ‘also’ or ‘as well’:
Too can also mean ‘also’ or ‘as well’, usually at the end of a sentence.
I want to come too.
She speaks French, and Spanish too.
The Power of ‘Very’
Very is a common intensifier. It makes adjectives and adverbs stronger.
- Before adjectives and adverbs:
We place very before an adjective or adverb.
The film was very interesting.
She sings very beautifully.
- Neutral meaning:
Very simply increases the degree. It does not imply a negative or positive judgment like too ou enough.
It’s very hot today.
- Not with strong adjectives:
Do not use very with ‘strong’ or ‘extreme’ adjectives (e.g., furious, tiny, delicious). Instead, use words like absolutely ou extremely.
Incorrect : The food was very delicious.
Correct : The food was absolutely delicious.
How to Use ‘So’
So is another intensifier, similar to very, but often stronger and can imply a result.
- Before adjectives and adverbs:
We place so before an adjective or adverb.
The book was so exciting!
He ran so quickly.
- With ‘that’ clauses (result):
We often use so with a that clause to show the result of the intensity.
It was so dark that I couldn’t see anything.
She spoke so quietly that nobody heard her.
- With ‘much’ and ‘many’ for emphasis:
Nous utilisons so much with uncountable nouns and so many with plural countable nouns for emphasis.
I have so much work to do.
There were so many people at the concert.
- Other uses of ‘so’:
- As a conjunction meaning ‘therefore’: I was tired, so I went to bed.
- To refer back to something mentioned: Is that so?
- To indicate approximation: about a year or so.
Mastering ‘Such’
Such is used to intensify a noun or a noun phrase. It highlights the quality of the noun.
- Before ‘a/an + adjective + singular countable noun’:
Utilisation such a/an when the noun is singular and countable.
It was such a beautiful day.
He’s such an interesting person.
- Before ‘adjective + plural/uncountable noun’:
Utilisation such (without a/an) when the noun is plural or uncountable.
They have such friendly dogs.
We had such lovely weather.
- With ‘that’ clauses (result):
Comme so, such can be followed by a that clause to show a result.
It was such a difficult exam that many students failed.
They are such kind people that everyone loves them.
| Modifier | Utilisation | Exemples |
|---|---|---|
| So | Before adjectives and adverbs | The music was so loud. He drives so carefully. |
| So | With much/many before nouns (for emphasis) | I have so much work. There were so many questions. |
| Such | Before a/an + adjective + singular countable noun | It was such a lovely day. |
| Such | Before adjective + plural/uncountable noun | They are such kind people. We had such good weather. |
Exemples
- I don’t have enough time to finish this report today.
- Is the water warm enough for you to swim?
- This coffee is too hot to drink right now.
- There are too many cars on the road during rush hour.
- She looked very tired after her long journey.
- The movie was so good that I watched it twice.
- He speaks English so fluently.
- It was such a surprise to see you here!
- They live in such a big house.
- We had such fun at the party last night.
Entraînement
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Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones
Spanish speakers often make specific mistakes with degree modifiers due to differences in grammatical structures.
- Position of enough:
Incorrect : He is enough tall.
Correct : He is tall enough. (Remember: adjective/adverb + enough, but enough + noun)
- Confusing too et very:
Spanish speakers might use too when they simply mean very, implying an unwanted excess.
Incorrect : This book is too interesting. (Unless it’s *so* interesting it’s a problem!)
Correct : This book is very interesting.
- Confusing so et such:
Remember that so modifies adjectives/adverbs, while such modifies nouns.
Incorrect : It was so a good film.
Correct : It was such a good film.
Incorrect : She has such beautiful.
Correct : She is so beautiful.
- Using too much/many incorrectly:
Make sure to use too much with uncountable nouns and too many with countable nouns.
Incorrect : There are too much people.
Correct : There are too many people.
Questions fréquemment posées
What is a degree modifier?
A degree modifier is a word that changes the intensity or extent of an adjective, adverb, or noun. It tells us ‘how much’ or ‘to what degree’ something is.
What is the main difference between ‘too’ and ‘very’?
Very simply intensifies an adjective or adverb in a neutral way (e.g., very hot). Too means ‘excessively’ or ‘more than is desirable/acceptable’, often implying a negative consequence (e.g., too hot to drink).
Can I use ‘so’ with nouns?
Generally, no. So modifies adjectives and adverbs (e.no-translation>so beautiful, so quickly). For intensifying nouns, you should use such (e.no-translation>such a beautiful day). However, you can use so much ou so many with nouns for emphasis.
How is ‘such’ different from ‘so’?
The key difference is what they modify: so modifies adjectives and adverbs (e.no-translation>so tired), while such modifies nouns or noun phrases (e.no-translation>such a tired person, such good news). Both can be followed by a that clause to show a result.
How are these modifiers tested in the B2 First exam?
In the B2 First (FCE) exam, degree modifiers are often tested in the Use of English Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze) or Part 4 (Key word transformations). You might need to choose the correct modifier to complete a sentence or rewrite a sentence using a given word like so ou such while keeping the same meaning.
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