LSA1: Systems

Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.

1 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay



DELTA
International House London
(centre number: 10294)


LSA 1
Language Systems - Lexis:
Helping higher-level learners to understand and use intensifiers
effectively
Background Essay



Amelia Hoseason
(candidate number: 006)
12 Oct 2014



Word Count: 2475

LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


2 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


CONTENTS PAGE

INTROODUCTION 3

ANALYSIS.. 3
Meaning and Use .. 3
Form 4
Pronunciation. 7

LEARNERS PROBLEMS / TEACHING SUGGESTIONS.. 8
Problem & Suggestion 1... 8
Problem & Suggestion 2 9
Problem & Suggestion 3 10
Problem & Suggestion 4 11

CONCLUSION.. 13

BIBLIOGRAPHY 14

APPENDICES. 15


LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


3 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Introduction
It is often necessary to add depth to a word allowing for greater expression; using intensifiers allows
you to express this depth. However, I have seen students struggle with this. As Grange points out
leaners under-use native collocations such as intensifying adverbs.. (Grange, 1998:152) and I
believe this is due to the lack of clarity given to intensifiers in syllabuses, leading to learner confusion
and frustration.
This assignment will look specifically at the intensifying adverbs of degree focussing on higher levels,
and aims to explore raising their awareness of use and the impact they have on the listener.

Analysis
Meaning and Use
Intensifiers are a group of words that strengthens, intensifies or focuses on a particular aspect of
the meaning of an item (Cartar, & McCarthy, 2006:908). It can boost or amplify (intensifier) or it can
down play/down tone it (mitigator).
She is remarkably intelligent - Intensifier
I was faintly amused - Mitigator
There are numerous ways of describing Intensifiers, e.g.: degree modifiers (Huddleston, 2002);
submodifiers (Sinclair, 1990); adverb of degree (Parrott, 2002) intensifiers
(learnenglish.britishcouncil.org). I tend to agree with Huddleston (2002: 585) when he says the
term intensifier is a functional term and is no improvement on the traditional term degree
modifier. However, for the purpose of this assignment I have chosen to use the more common
term: intensifier.
Intensifiers both syntactically modify a clause as well as semantically change the emotion of it.
I am extremely annoyed.
Extremely interrupts the verb and its adjective, emphasizing the adjective, while showing the
speakers heightened displeasure.




LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


4 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Lorenz (1998:56) discusses the Quirkin categories, which groups intensifiers according to the level of
degree they express:
Maximisers absolutely
Boosters highly
Approximators nearly
Compromisers pretty
Diminishes a little
Minimizers scarcely

Intensifiers encompass two lexical subgroups:
Adverbs of degree e.g.:

pretty amazingly

Intensifying adjectives e.g.:

complete perfect

There are rules to guide a learner but, as Parrott explains, Choosing an intensifier depends not only
on the degree of intensification (e.g.: extremely stronger than very) but also on the meaning of what
we want to intensify, the grammar of what is intensified (e.g.: adjective or verb) and on style.
(Parrott, 2010: 69).
To what degree and meaning is fairly easy to define; However, style, is harder to explain, as with
most strong collocations, and needs to be learnt individually.
Form
Adverbs of degree (AdvD)
AdvD + adjective

It is important to note that not all AdvD collocate with every adjective. You need to decide if it is a
non-gradable adjective or a gradable adjective. Non-gradable expresses absoluteness whereas
gradable doesnt.

LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


5 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Impossible - non-gradable adjectives
Beautiful gradable adjectives
To intensify non-gradable adjectives an AdvD indicating absoluteness is used. For gradable adjectives
any AdvD can be used, but check meaning before collocating.
AdvD + Non-gradable AdvD + Gradable
absolutely impossible especially beautiful
extraordinarily unique intensely mauve.

AdvD + noun phrase/prepositional phrase

incredibly bright student
completely out of control
AdvD + adverb

This is sometimes referred to as submodification and, when one is repeated twice, iteration
(Huddleston, 2002:585)
quite amazingly irresponsible. - submodification
very, very good. iteration
AdvD + verb

As Willis (2003) illustrates they can also be placed at the beginning or the end of a clause, before the
verb, but never between the verb and its object.
Truly, I enjoyed the party beginning
I enjoyed the party truly end
I truly enjoyed the party before verb
I enjoyed truly the party between verb and object


With modal sentences the AdvD comes before the modal or before main verb, depending on what is
being expressed.
I really must tidy my room overdue task
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


6 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


I must really tidy my room detailed clean needed

AdvD in Comparatives or Superlatives

Due to the restrictions of this assignment, I am not focussing on this category. Sinclair (1990) goes
into great depth explaining each case and its significance. However, here are a few examples to
highlight the subtlety an AdvD can place on comparatives /superlatives.

relatively brighter than.
..the very earliest computers.

Intensifying adjectives
Intensifying adjectives + noun
complete lunatics.

Individual cases
Very: can be used with gradable and non-gradable adjectives, but not with
verbs.
I was very lost
Dee is very beautiful
I very enjoyed the party
I very much enjoyed the party very + much with verb
Too cannot be used before a verb.
too enjoyed the party verb

Quite can be used with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives and acts as
either an intensifier or mitigator depending on the intonation.

She is quite pretty.

LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


7 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


So is used before an adjective.
The results were so amazing
Such is used with a noun phrase.
It was such a big deal.

Pronunciation
In terms of pronunciation, its the use of the suprasegmental features that can cause problems. As
Underhill highlights, ..inappropriate intonation can at times gives rise not just to obscuration of the
message but to reception of quite a different message (Underhill, 2005:75)
What an incredibly stylish hairdo.
If the intonation is positively stressed on incredibly or stylish an emphasis is given to the
compliment. However, if negative intonation is stressed on either, this sentence then becomes a
sarcastic criticism.














LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


8 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Learners Problems / Teaching Suggestions
Problem 1

Both in my multi-lingual and monolingual classes I have encountered problems with the use
of very and much when learners want to intensify verbs.

I very love my boyfriend

I love very much my boyfriend

I love much my boyfriend

I believe this is because it has either become, as Selinker (1972) calls it, fossilized language
(an incorrect rule learnt and never relearnt correctly) or is translated directly from L1. What I
found interesting was the deep rootedness of this fossilised behaviour, they could recognise
the error but continued to repeat it when under the pressures of real time speech.

Suggestion 1
Aim
Use a rule discovery approach with learners noticing errors and identifying rule.
According to cognitive learning theory this conscious process of noticing the input
results in intake (Thornbury, 2002:106), which will hopefully dislodge the fossilised
language they have acquired and shine a light on the difference with their L1.
Procedure
Hand out a dialogue mix of correct and incorrect examples of very and
much.
Individual then pairs: identify the incorrect sentences. Look for rule.
Open class identify the rule (very not with verb but ok with adjectives or noun
phrases; very much ok with verbs, but not between verb and object), discuss if
they use that structure, what frustrations they had.
Jumbled sentences individual work (controlled practice with the correct order).
Closely monitoring any errors e.g.:

me remind you very of sister my much
am very this summer I she is visit me coming excited to

Personalisation: Write sentences they feel they have used or would use, but in
correct word order. Close monitoring on word order.
Open class feedback sharing sentences.
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


9 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Open questions using correct structure checking comprehension and
encouraging natural use.

Evaluation
By getting the students to notice the rule, their own mistakes and then correcting them
raised their awareness of this problem, so that next time they wanted to use these
structures they could begin to auto-correct. A useful follow up activity would be to
explore other intensifiers that could help expand the depth of what they want to
express.
Problem 2

Whilst teaching 10
th
grade ESL at a bilingual school in Colombia, I noticed my students (B2)
were struggling with collocating intensifiers when working on their creative writing portfolio.
I was very petrified.
Syllabuses and books perhaps mention intensifiers, but most likely as an added on grammar
focus with a confusing mix of rules included in the reference section, and no further follow
up (Appendix 1). This creates confusion, the learner forgets due to no practise, or the
teacher misses it out completely.
Suggestion 2
Aim
Using a task-based approach, I gave the students an extract from a story. The
authenticity of the text kept the students focussed on their creative writing, whilst
raising their awareness of the collocation rules.
Procedure
Using an extract from the class literature book, learners read the text and
answer a comprehension question.
In pairs notice adjectives in text and try to categorise.
Concept checking (cline to illustrate degree), guiding to notice the categories
were gradable and non-gradable.
Students identify what words complemented the adjectives and what effect
they had on them.
Students look for rule (adverbs intensify adjectives)
Using the cline, identify only absolute adverbs intensify absolute adjectives.
Categorising exercise. Group gradable and non-gradable adjectives then group
absolute and non-absolute adverbs. Dictionaries were allowed, raising their
awareness of adjectives available to them.
Matching exercise: adverbs with adjectives.
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


10 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Follow up activity: use new collocations in next creative writing piece.

Evaluation

This activity worked really well, rather than be given a list, learners discovered the rules
themselves. The use of the dictionary really encouraged learner independence in
investigating new adjectives and adverbs. The authentic text also exemplified how they
could develop their own creative writing.

Problem 3

During my time in Malta, I worked on pronunciation with an advanced Italian business
student, who was preparing for his IELTS. We focussed a lot on stress and intonation and I
noticed his over emphasis on certain words produced either a complete change in meaning
(as discussed in the analysis) or sometimes had an impact on me, the listener, and my
impression of him. For example, as he was describing a graph:

Our share value has POSITIVELY increased this month, even though our product output is
VERY low.

This created two problems: firstly, the stress on positively sounded unnatural and made
him sound, in a business context, insincere. Secondly, the stress on very (although not the
correct intensifier) created the impression, as a listener, that he lacked confidence in the
results.

I believe this is a problem is consistent within Latinate L1 students. Their L1 uses emphasis a
lot and translating this across can often lead to inappropriate use in English, especially in a
business context. This isnt helped by the fact that course books barely look at stress or
intonation with intensifiers and definitely dont highlight the pitfalls of inappropriate use.
(Appendix 2).

Suggestion 3
Aim
I wanted to raise the learners awareness of the important role intonation can play, and
the subconscious effect it had on the listener. There is a common understanding
between speakers of a language.. about ways of saying things, (Underhill, 2005:74)
and this can be lost when the language isnt your L1.

LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


11 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay



Procedure
Live listening using a sales report extract.
1
st
time learner listens for comprehension.
2
nd
time learner takes notes of key points.
Feedback: his version of sales report.
Learner looks at transcript and identifies how results were described
Learner identifies use of intensifiers and adjectives in text (comprehension check
using cline/mime to explain degree).
Listen while I model the text (over emphasised).
Leaner identifies how intonation changes meaning.
Controlled oral practice with same text experimenting with intonation.
Feedback and open questions about impact intonation has on listener in
business context.
In following lessons developed vocabulary for business intensifiers and
adjectives.

Evaluation
Although the controlled practice as Kelly highlights sometimes requires students to use
patterns which feel alien to them and they can feel embarrassed about repeating
patterns.. (Kelly, 2007:96), it really helped raise the learners awareness about the
effect intonation can have in different situations.

Problem 4

In Malta, I had a few long-term students who had local friends and so had acquired a lot of
colloquial language habits. One of these being iteration:

My weekend was so so chilled.

This in itself didnt pose a problem, in fact it helped with their fluency in a social context.
However, when they wanted to practise their job interviews and use a more formal English,
it did.

In my previous job I was really really respectful of the rules.

The over use of really isnt appropriate during an interview. There is a definite divide
between the style and selection of intensifiers used when in a social or business context. I
believe learners need to be made aware of this, so they can alter their register and use of
language depending on their circumstances.
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


12 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay




Suggestion 4
Aim
To raise learners consciousness of how different contexts require different styles of
intensifiers. Specifically, that iteration is perfectly natural in spoken informal situations
and in a business context different intensifiers and adjectives are required.
Procedure
Listening Activity: two incorrect dialogues, (social and job interview).

Social dialogue e.g.: I have significantly improved my social activities

Job interviews e.g.: I am really, really good at filing and I have had so, so much
experience of answering the phones.

1
st
time played dialogues together. Listen for comprehension.
Elicited context of each dialogue.
2
nd
time played separately, learners had to note down problems with dialogues.
They identified incorrect vocabulary.
Transcript of listening: Learners underlined inappropriate words for each
context.
Feedback, CCQs (is this suitable for a social situation? Why?) elicited informal
expressions are used socially and a wider vocabulary is used in business.
In pairs: why really, really and so, so wasnt suitable for a job interview.
Feedback. I modelled.

Due to my previous work experience, I am an extremely efficient filer and feel very
comfortable managing the phones.

In pairs discussed which is more suitable for a job interview.
Feedback: identified iteration is natural in social context but not in formal
environment
Modelled iteration from dialogue with a student, repeated in pairs and
discussed would you employ that person? Why not?
Rebuild Dialogue in each context using correct style and use of intensifiers.
Role-played the dialogues in pairs.

Evaluation
By comparing the two incorrect dialogues the students were able to notice the
inappropriateness of iteration in a formal context yet the naturalness in a social context.
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


13 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


They became aware of how important choosing the correct style of language was in
relation to the context they were in, or, the objective they had for their communication.

Conclusion
Researching this assignment has highlighted the lack of accessible information for teachers and
learners concerning how to use intensifiers. It has also shown me that with higher-level students,
there is a definite need to provide them with the right tools, to help them explain nuances in their
emotions and in the way they want to express them. As they move towards a more proficient
understanding of English, I believe discussions on the effects of suprasegmental features, register
and genre specific vocabulary should be given more of a focus, thus providing them with depth and
access to a more natural expression.

















LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


14 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Bibliography
Books
Cartar, R;& McCarthy,M.(2006) Cambridge Grammar of English. CUP. p.908 (referenced on page 3)
Grange (1998) in OKeefe, A & McCarthy, M & Walsh, S. (2009) Vocabulary Matrix. Heinle Cenage
LearningP.35 (referenced on page 3)
Huddleston, R & Pullum, G. (2002) The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language CUP. p.585
(referenced on page 3,5)
Kelly, G. (2007) How to Teach Pronunciation Longman 2007. p.94 (referenced on page 11)
Lorenz, G. (1998) Overstatement in advanced learners writing: Stylistic aspects of adjective
intensification, in S. Granger (1998) Learner English on Computer. Longman.. p.53-66 (referenced on
page 4)
Parrott, M. (2010) Grammar for the English Teacher. CUP. p.69 (referenced on page 3,4)
Selinker (1972) in Ellis, R.( 2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. OUP p.963 (referenced on
page8)
Sinclair, J.(1990) Collins Cobuild English Grammar.HCP. p.93,97-100 (referenced on page 3,6)
Thornbury,S. (2002) A to Z of ELT. Macmillan. p.106 (referenced on page 8)
Underhill, A. (2005) Sound foundations Macmillan p.74,75 (referenced on page 7,10)
Willis,D. (2003) Rules, Patterns, Words. CUP. p.32-33 (referenced on page 5)

Websites
British Council, Learn English Intensifiers. http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-
grammar/adjectives/intensifier (9.10 2014)

Coursebooks
Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. p.11,27 (referenced on page 9, Appendix 1)
Moore,P.(2005)New Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate. p.68 (referenced on page 9 Appendix 2)


LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


15 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Appendix 1
An example of how course books treat intensifiers. More often than not they are treated as an add-
on with all the rules thrown together in the reference section at the back.

Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. p.11 (referenced on page 9)

Hird, J & Robb Benne, R. (2007) Move Advanced. P.27 (referenced on page 9)
LSA1: Systems
Helping higher level learners to understand and use intensifiers effectively.


16 Amelia Hoseason
Background Essay


Appendix 2
An example of how course books treat the pronunciation of intensifiers. If they do discuss it, they
dont look at the effects the suprasegmental features can have on the listener.

Moore,P.(2005)New Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate. p.68 (referenced on page 9)