Difference between REALLY and VERY Learn English Grammar
Wanna speak real English from your first lesson?
Sign up for your free lifetime account at
EnglishClass101.com.
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.
If you have any questions or comments, please
be sure to let us know in the comments section
below.
Otherwise, please make sure to LIKE this video
and subscribe to our channel, if you haven’t
already.
Also please check us out at EnglishClass101.com
for more good information.
Thanks very much for watching this time, and
we’ll see you again soon.
Bye!