Difference between REALLY and VERY - Learn English Grammar

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Hi, everybody, welcome back to EnglishClass101.com's YouTube channel.

My name is Alisha, and today I'm going to talk about the difference between "really"

and “very.”

These are sometimes confused, or it's difficult to know when you should use really or when

you should use very.

So today I'm going to give a quick explanation that hopefully can help you decide when to

use really and when to use very.

So let's start!

Okay, first, there's one thing that's common, one thing that both of these do, really and

very are both used to add intensity or to add emphasis to what you're saying.

So both of them have the same effect.

Okay!

So, but let's start with really.

Really is used to modify, so, to add emphasis, to change verbs.

We also use really to modify adjectives and adverbs, so a few examples here, this sentence,

You're really funny.

So funny is an adjective, we use really before the adjective to modify, so this gives emphasis

to the word funny.

Then we have this word fast, this is an adverb, in this sentence, He runs really fast.

we add really to show he runs really fast and emphasizes the speed at which he runs.

Finally, I have the adjective tired, I'm really tired.

So we emphasize tired by placing really before the adjective.

So we can use really to modify verbs, and we can use it to modify adjectives.

Okay, we'll talk a little bit more about the verbs part a little bit later.

Okay, let's go on to very, though.

So very is used to modify adjectives and adverbs only, we cannot use very to modify verbs,

so please be careful.

You cannot use this with a verb, we'll see this in just a moment.

For me, however, a recommendation, I tend to use very more in negative sentences, I

don't use really so much when I'm making a negative statement.

So let's look at a few examples.

First, this sandwich is very good.

So good is my adjectives here, so I use very to modify it.

Yes, I can use really here as well.

This sandwich is really good is also a correct sentence.

The next one, you're not very funny.

so here's a negative that I was talking about.

Funny is the adjective in this sentence, and saying not very is a negative statement.

You can say, you're not really funny, but to me, it sounds a bit more natural to say,

you're not very funny.

Here's one more example, he doesn't run very fast.

So again, I have the adverb fast here with very, and my negative, so he doesn't run very

fast emphasizes that he is not a fast runner.

Okay, and finally, they're very rich.

This one uses an adjective rich, they're very rich.

We can say they're really rich, both are correct.

So let's take a look at some example sentences, and in particular, I want to point out a few

cases where we can use really with verbs as I talked about here.

So let's take a look, let's look at the first sentence.

The sentence here is, they_____ like vacationing in France.

So here I have the verb like, we know that really is only used to modify verbs, we cannot

use very to modify verbs, therefore the correct answer here is really.

They really like vacationing in France.

Ok, the next sentence.

My schedule is _____ busy.

We see that busy is an adjective.

My schedule is _____ busy.

So really and very are both correct.

I'm really busy.

I'm sorry.

My schedule is really busy, or my schedule is very busy.

Both of these are correct.

In the next sentence, That restaurant wasn't ______ good.

So I mentioned that this one, very, is something I tend to use more in negative patterns, so

here we have a negative, we have the negative "wasn't" in this sentence.

So, that restaurant wasn't very good sounds nice.

Okay, the next sentence, it's _____ rainy today.

So rainy, we have an adjective here, it's rainy, that means we can use really or very

also, it's a positive statement here.

Okay!

The next expression, your boss seems _______ angry with you again.

Here's an adjective, and the sentence, the statement is a positive statement, so again,

we can use either really or very.

Okay, let's go to the next one.

She ______ eats a lot.

Here we have the verb eats, She ______ eats; because it's a verb, we know we can only use

really in this situation.

So, she really eats a lot is the correct sentence here.

Okay, similar, we have, he _____ hates cats.

So hates is our verb here, again, the same rule applies, we can only use really with

verbs, so really is the correct answer.

He really hates cats.

Okay, one more.

I _____ hope we can take...

I'm sorry!

I _____ hope we can catch up soon!

So once more, our verb is hope, I hope.

We're emphasizing, I really hope.

So these three all have the same pattern, they're all modifying a verb here.

Okay!

Final one.

This is _____ easy.

So easy is an adjective, we can use really or very in this case.

This is really easy, or this is very easy, both are correct in this case.

Alright!

So that's a quick overview of when to use really and when to use very.

Please remember, you can only use really in front of a verb, and if you're making a negative

statement, try to use very instead of really, it'll sound a little bit more natural.

I hope this video was useful for you.

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