Use of English – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the restaurant review below. Choose the correct intensifier (A, B, C, or D) that best fits each gap. Pay close attention to whether the adjective is gradable (normal) or ungradable (extreme), and watch out for fixed collocations.
As a dedicated food blogger, I usually try to find the silver lining in every meal. However, my recent visit to Le Petit Chateau left me (1) ______ disappointed. The restaurant is (2) ______ rated on numerous review sites, so I went in expecting a (3) ______ good dining experience.
When we arrived, the dining room was (4) ______ packed, which we initially took as a positive sign. However, we had to wait over an hour for our table. By the time we finally sat down, I was (5) ______ starving.
When I looked at the menu, I was shocked. The dishes were (6) ______ expensive. Charging $60 for a basic mushroom risotto is (7) ______ ridiculous! For my main course, I ordered the signature steak. The waiter assured me it would be (8) ______ delicious, but when it arrived, it was (9) ______ cold. Not just slightly cool, but freezing! I was (10) ______ furious.
My partner ordered the seafood pasta. The sauce was (11) ______ tasty, but the portion was so tiny that sharing it was (12) ______ impossible. We called the manager to complain. Instead of being (13) ______ sorry for the inconvenience, he just shrugged and said the kitchen delays were not (14) ______ his fault. I found his dismissive attitude (15) ______ unacceptable.
To be fair, the interior design of the restaurant is (16) ______ gorgeous. The crystal chandeliers and velvet booths are truly beautiful. But aesthetics cannot save (17) ______ awful food and terrible service.
We left the establishment feeling frustrated, and it is (18) ______ unlikely that we will ever return. I am (19) ______ convinced that this place survives purely on social media hype. Unless you want to waste a small fortune, I am (20) ______ opposed to anyone booking a table here.
1 (A) bitterly (B) strictly (C) heavily (D) fiercely
2 (A) deeply (B) strictly (C) highly (D) vastly
3 (A) absolutely (B) completely (C) very (D) utterly
4 (A) very (B) highly (C) extremely (D) completely
5 (A) very (B) absolutely (C) extremely (D) fairly
6 (A) absolutely (B) ridiculously (C) deeply (D) strictly
7 (A) very (B) utterly (C) highly (D) extremely
8 (A) very (B) extremely (C) fairly (D) absolutely
9 (A) rock (B) brick (C) stone (D) metal
10 (A) very (B) totally (C) highly (D) extremely
11 (A) absolutely (B) completely (C) extremely (D) utterly
12 (A) highly (B) virtually (C) strongly (D) deeply
13 (A) heavily (B) firmly (C) deeply (D) utterly
14 (A) very (B) extremely (C) strictly (D) entirely
15 (A) entirely (B) very (C) highly (D) extremely
16 (A) very (B) extremely (C) absolutely (D) highly
17 (A) utterly (B) very (C) extremely (D) fairly
18 (A) highly (B) absolutely (C) totally (D) deeply
19 (A) strictly (B) firmly (C) heavily (D) deeply
20 (A) firmly (B) strictly (C) strongly (D) absolutely
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) bitterly
Explanation: “Bitterly disappointed” is a fixed collocation to express a deep sense of letdown. We do not say heavily or fiercely disappointed.
2 (C) highly
Explanation: When talking about rankings, recommendations, or ratings, the correct adverb is “highly” (e.g., highly rated, highly recommended).
3 (C) very
Explanation: “Good” is a gradable adjective (you can be a little good, very good, etc.). Therefore, it takes standard adverbs like very or extremely. You cannot use absolutely or completely with “good”.
4 (D) completely
Explanation: “Packed” is an extreme adjective meaning 100% full. Because it represents a limit, it takes ungradable adverbs like completely or totally. “Very packed” is grammatically incorrect.
5 (B) absolutely
Explanation: “Starving” is an extreme adjective (meaning very hungry). It must take an extreme adverb like absolutely. “Very starving” is a classic B2 error.
6 (B) ridiculously
Explanation: “Ridiculously expensive” is a strong natural collocation used to criticize prices that are absurdly high.
7 (B) utterly
Explanation: “Ridiculous” is an extreme adjective. It pairs perfectly with utterly (which means completely/absolutely). Options A, C, and D are gradable adverbs and cannot be used here.
8 (D) absolutely
Explanation: “Delicious” is an extreme adjective (meaning very tasty). It requires an extreme adverb like absolutely. “Very delicious” is incorrect.
9 (C) stone
Explanation: “Stone cold” is a fixed idiom/collocation meaning completely cold (often used for food or weather). (Note: We say “rock hard”, but “stone cold”).
10 (B) totally
Explanation: “Furious” is an extreme adjective (meaning very angry). It requires an extreme adverb like totally or absolutely. A, C, and D are gradable.
11 (C) extremely
Explanation: “Tasty” is a gradable adjective (unlike delicious). Therefore, it must take a gradable adverb like extremely or very. “Absolutely tasty” is incorrect.
12 (B) virtually
Explanation: “Virtually impossible” is a fixed collocation meaning almost completely impossible.
13 (C) deeply
Explanation: When expressing sincere apologies or regrets, the correct collocation is “deeply sorry” or “terribly sorry”.
14 (D) entirely
Explanation: The word “fault” is an absolute concept in this context. You take full responsibility using “entirely my fault” or “completely my fault”.
15 (A) entirely
Explanation: “Unacceptable” is an ungradable adjective (something is either acceptable or it isn’t). It takes adverbs like entirely, completely, or totally. “Very unacceptable” sounds unnatural.
16 (C) absolutely
Explanation: “Gorgeous” is an extreme adjective (meaning very beautiful). It takes the extreme adverb absolutely.
17 (A) utterly
Explanation: “Awful” is an extreme adjective (meaning very bad). It takes extreme adverbs like utterly or absolutely. You cannot say “very awful”.
18 (A) highly
Explanation: “Unlikely” is a gradable concept (probability). The strong collocation for probabilities is “highly unlikely” or “highly likely”.
19 (B) firmly
Explanation: The fixed collocation for strong beliefs is to be “firmly convinced” or to “firmly believe” something.
20 (C) strongly
Explanation: When you are against an idea, the fixed collocation is to be “strongly opposed” to it.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
To write a convincing review or pass the FCE Use of English test, you MUST distinguish between two types of adjectives. Direct translation from your native language (using “very” for everything) will cost you points!
1 Gradable Adjectives (Normal):
These adjectives exist on a scale. You can be a little angry, quite angry, or very angry.
- Words: Good, bad, hungry, angry, tasty, tired, expensive.
- Intensifiers to use: Very, extremely, highly, incredibly, deeply.
- Rule: Never use “absolutely” with these! (WRONG: absolutely angry).
2 Ungradable Adjectives (Extreme):
These adjectives already mean “very + [normal adjective]”. They do not exist on a scale; they represent the limit.
- Words: Furious (very angry), starving (very hungry), packed (very full), delicious (very tasty), awful (very bad), gorgeous (very beautiful).
- Intensifiers to use: Absolutely, completely, totally, utterly, entirely.
- Rule: Never use “very” with these! (WRONG: very gorgeous, very delicious).
3 Fixed Collocations (Memorize these pairs!):
- Bitterly disappointed / cold
- Deeply sorry / concerned
- Highly rated / unlikely
- Firmly convinced
- Virtually impossible
- Stone cold