Tips for Improving your English Conversation without Using ‘Very’
Ved: Hey, buddy! How have you been?
Kajal: You know, the same. What about you?
Ved: I am very good. Heard that you landed yourself a new job; how’s it going?
Kajal: You heard that! It is very hectic even though I only started. Don’t even ask me about it.
Ved: It must be very tiring for you. That must be why you look very pale.
Kajal: You are the only one who understood so very well.
Did you notice something that I did too?
It looks so similar to a conversation we would have regularly. Okay, What else?
Yes, you are right. My head hurts seeing the number of times “very” was used in this English conversation. It is common to use “very” to emphasise something, that is, adjectives or adverbs, in our conversational English. Although it is useful at times to use “very”, you overuse it to an extent it doesn’t convey precise meaning. So, what happens is instead of emphasising, it reduces the power of your sentences.
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Impressive sentences over the conventional ones that use ‘very’
- The new employees are very bad at carrying out their duties – The new employees are awful at carrying out their duties.
- The food at the Chinese restaurant is very tasty – The food at the Chinese restaurant is delicious.
- The neighbors who recently moved in sees to be very decent people – The neighbours who recently moved in seem to be civilized / courteous people.
- I am very afraid of heights – I am fearful of heights.
- My roommate is very eager to meet you – My roommate is keen to meet you.
- “This is a very serious matter”, John replied – “This is a grave matter”, John replied.
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To make your spoken English sound interesting, replace using very with the alternate words from the following list:
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Very afraid – fearful
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Very angry – furious
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Very bad – awful
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Very basic – fundamental
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Very beautiful – gorgeous
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Very big – massive/giant
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Very boring – dull/uninteresting
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Very capable – efficient
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Very careful – cautious/meticulous
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Very cheap – stingy
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Very clear – transparent/crystal
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Very clever – intelligent/ brilliant/ingenious
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Very cold – freezing (weather)
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Very colorful – vibrant/vivid
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Very concerned – worried/upset
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Very confident – self-assured/poised
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Very confused – clueless/perplexed/baffled
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Very consistent – constant
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Very conventional – conservative/predictable
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Very corrupt – fraudulent/crooked
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Very creamy – velvety/buttery
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Very creepy – spooky
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Very critical – vital/crucial
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Very crowded – bustling
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Very crunchy – crispy
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Very curious – inquisitive
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Very cute – adorable
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Very dangerous – perilous/precarious
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Very dear – cherished
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Very decent – civilised/noble
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Very deep – profound/abysmal
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Very delicate – subtle/fragile
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Very desperate – frantic/ dire
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Very determined – resolute/obstinate
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Very different – unusual/unlike/distinctive
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Very difficult – arduous/complicated/complex
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Very dirty – filthy
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Very disagreeable – obnoxious
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Very dramatic – theatrical/melodramatic
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Very dry – arid/parched/dehydrated
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Very dubious – suspicious
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Very eager – keen/ardent
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Very easy – effortless/simple
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Very efficient – competent/resourceful/proficient
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Very embarrassed – ashamed/mortified
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Very enthusiastic – zealous/ebullient
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Very evil – wicked
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Very exciting – exhilarating/thrilling/electrifying
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Very expensive – costly/exorbitant
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Very faithful – loyal
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Very famous – renowned
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Very fancy – lavish
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Very far – distant/remote
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Very fast – quick/rapid
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Very fat – obese
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Very few – meagre, scarce
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Very fierce – ferocious
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Very firm – unyielding
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Very fond – doting
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Very friendly – amiable/gregarious
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Very frustrating – exasperating
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Very funny – hilarious
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Very glad – overjoyed
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Very good – excellent/superb
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Very great – terrific
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Very hairy – shaggy/hirsute
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Very happy – ecstatic/overjoyed
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Very heavy – dense/weighty
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Very helpful – supportive/accommodating
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Very honest – candid/frank
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Very hot – scorching
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Very hungry – starving/famished
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Very hurt – battered
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Very immature – naïve
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Very impressive – extraordinary/remarkable
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Very informal – casual
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Very intense – fierce/severe
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Very interesting – fascinating/compelling
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Very jealous – envious
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Very juicy – succulent/luscious
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Very large – huge/humongous/gargantuan
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Very light – buoyant/weightless/airy
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Very lively – animated/energetic/spirited
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Very lonely – isolated
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Very long – extended/extensive
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Very loud – deafening
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Very lucky – blessed
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Very mean – cruel
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Very much – plenty/heaps
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Very near – close-by/nearby
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Very neat – orderly/immaculate
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Very negative – pessimistic/critical
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Very new – innovative/novel/fresh
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Very nice – pleasant/agreeable/kind
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Very obvious – apparent
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Very often – frequently
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Very persuasive – convincing
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Very poor – destitute
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Very practical – realistic
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Very pure – unadulterated/clean
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Very quiet – hushed/silent
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Very rare – scarce/unique
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Very recent – latest
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Very religious – spiritual/devout
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Very rich – wealthy
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Very risky – perilous
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Very roomy – spacious
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Very rude – vulgar/insolent
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Very sad – sorrowful/desolate
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Very safe – harmless
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Very scared – terrified
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Very shy – timid
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Very slow – sluggish
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Very sorry – apologetic/remorseful
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Very specific – precise
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Very special – exceptional
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Very strange – weird/bizarre
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Very strict – stern/rigorous
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Very substantial – considerable
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Very sudden – unexpected
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Very sure – certain
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Very tall – towering
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Very tasty – delicious/delectable
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Very tempting – irresistible/enticing
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Very thin – gaunt
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Very tired – exhausted
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Very thirsty – parched
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Very ugly – hideous/grotesque
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Very valuable – precious
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Very weak – frail/feeble
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Very wet – soaked
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Very wide – expansive/vast
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Very windy – blustery
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Very wise – sage/sagacious
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Very worried – distressed
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Want to learn more of such impressive vocabulary?
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If you wish to be an effective speaker, try reducing the frequency of using it and replace the word “very” with appropriate vocabulary. Wondering where can you get the resources to help you with vocabulary? Well, the answer is Learn From Native’s English Language Learning App
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At Learn From Native, we have designed the English courses for adults as well as kids such that special emphasis is given in enhancing the vocabulary of the learner. It can help you make your formal presentations or workplace conversations sound more professional and polished with much better vocabulary. Additionally, you can show off your English language skills with this small change and notice the positive difference it makes.