Some adjectives have a fixed adverb partner, like highly recommended and absolutely essential, where plain very does not fit.
Highly and absolutely
Not "The workshop is very recommended." — say "The workshop is highly recommended.". Recommended takes highly, not very.
Try it: Diego: Do I really need a helmet on the climbing wall? Mei: Yes. A helmet is ___. Choose the words for the blank. (absolutely essential / highly essential / deeply essential) Answer: absolutely essential — Essential takes absolutely: absolutely essential.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
highly recommended
/ˈhaɪli ˌrekəˈmendɪd/
The workshop is highly recommended for new students.
absolutely essential
/ˌæbsəˈluːtli ɪˈsenʃl/
Clear instructions are absolutely essential in an exam.
Partners for strong feelings
Bitterly goes with unpleasant feelings (bitterly disappointed), and deeply goes with feelings that move you (deeply affected).
Not "Mei was bitterly affected by the story." — say "Mei was deeply affected by the story.". Affected takes deeply. Bitterly goes with unpleasant words like disappointed.
Try it: Farid: How did Yasmin take the news about the canceled trip? Lars: She was ___. She really wanted to go. Choose the words for the blank. (bitterly disappointed / highly disappointed / strongly disappointed) Answer: bitterly disappointed — Strong disappointment takes bitterly: bitterly disappointed.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
bitterly disappointed
/ˈbɪtərli ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/
Hiroshi was bitterly disappointed when the concert was canceled.
deeply affected
/ˈdiːpli əˈfektɪd/
Mei was deeply affected by the speaker's story.
Fully: completely
Fully means completely and goes with a finished state: fully booked, fully qualified, fully aware.
Not "The hotel was highly booked for the weekend." — say "The hotel was fully booked for the weekend.". Booked takes fully, because the meaning is completely.
Try it: Amina: Can the new nurse at Senfarrow Clinic give injections? Hiroshi: Yes, she's ___. Choose the words for the blank. (fully qualified / bitterly qualified / deeply qualified) Answer: fully qualified — Fully means with nothing missing, so a trained nurse is fully qualified.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
fully booked
/ˌfʊli ˈbʊkt/
The Senfarren View Hotel was fully booked for the weekend.
fully qualified
/ˌfʊli ˈkwɑːlɪfaɪd/
Camila is fully qualified to teach the advanced class.
fully aware
/ˌfʊli əˈwer/
Lars was fully aware of the risks before he signed.
Extremely, incredibly, totally
Extremely and incredibly mean very, while totally goes with words that have no middle ground, like wrong.
Not "Your answer is fully wrong." — say "Your answer is totally wrong.". Wrong takes totally. Fully goes with a finished state, like booked.
Try it: Wei: Did you finish the puzzle in the Gazette? Yasmin: Not yet. It's ___. Choose the words for the blank. (incredibly difficult / fully difficult / bitterly difficult) Answer: incredibly difficult — Difficult takes incredibly or extremely, not "fully" or "bitterly".
Word
Pronunciation
Example
extremely serious
/ɪkˈstriːmli ˈsɪriəs/
The flooding at Senfarrow Brook was extremely serious.
incredibly difficult
/ɪnˈkredəbli ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
Mateo found the final exam incredibly difficult.
totally wrong
/ˈtoʊtəli rɔːŋ/
Yasmin checked the schedule and found that her notes were totally wrong.
What are the common mistakes?
Incorrect
Correct
Why
The workshop is very recommended.
The workshop is highly recommended.
Recommended takes highly, not very.
Mei was bitterly affected by the story.
Mei was deeply affected by the story.
Affected takes deeply. Bitterly goes with unpleasant words like disappointed.
The hotel was highly booked for the weekend.
The hotel was fully booked for the weekend.
Booked takes fully, because the meaning is completely.
Your answer is fully wrong.
Your answer is totally wrong.
Wrong takes totally. Fully goes with a finished state, like booked.