Grammar studies/Description & emphasis
DESCRIPTION & EMPHASIS / ALRIGHT

Absolutely / Completely / Totally

The holy trinity of emphasis - nuclear weapons for your English vocabulary!

AT A GLANCEnon-gradable adjectivesPut it into practice ↗
01 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

The Holy Trinity of Emphasis

These three words are like the nuclear weapons of English emphasis - they pack a proper punch and make everything sound more dramatic. But like nuclear weapons, you need to know when and how to use them, or you'll sound like a right muppet!

The Golden Rule:

These words work with non-gradable adjectives (absolute states) and some verbs.

Think: perfect, impossible, dead, exhausted, agree, disagree, love, hate

02 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Absolutely: The Posh One

"Absolutely" - The Sophisticated Choice:

Usage Example What It Really Means
With non-gradable adjectives Absolutely perfect! Bloody brilliant!
Agreement (standalone) "Do you agree– "Absolutely!" 100% yes, mate!
With certain verbs I absolutely love it! I'm mental about it!
Negative emphasis Absolutely not! No bloody way!
03 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Completely: The Thorough One

"Completely" - The Thorough Professional:

Usage Example What It Really Means
Total completion Completely finished Done and dusted
Total transformation Completely different Like chalk and cheese
Total states Completely exhausted Absolutely knackered
Understanding I completely understand I get it 100%
04 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Totally: The Casual One

"Totally" - The Laid-Back Mate:

Usage Example What It Really Means
Casual agreement "That's cool!" "Totally!" Yeah, definitely!
Informal emphasis Totally awesome! Proper brilliant!
Complete states Totally confused Haven't got a clue
Disagreement Totally disagree That's bollocks!
05 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

When to Use Which One

Situation Absolutely Completely Totally
Formal writing Perfect Good Too casual
Casual conversation Posh Neutral Relaxed
Strong agreement "Absolutely!" Sounds odd "Totally!"
Business meeting Professional Safe choice Too informal
06 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Common Collocations

Popular Combinations:

With "Absolutely":

  • Absolutely brilliant/fantastic/amazing
  • Absolutely right/wrong/correct
  • Absolutely love/hate/adore
  • Absolutely essential/necessary/vital

With "Completely":

  • Completely different/opposite/new
  • Completely understand/agree/disagree
  • Completely finished/done/ready
  • Completely exhausted/shattered/knackered

With "Totally":

  • Totally awesome/cool/amazing
  • Totally agree/disagree
  • Totally confused/lost/clueless
  • Totally worth it/pointless
07 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Don't Be a Numpty - Common Mistakes

Wrong Usage (With Gradable Adjectives):

  • "Absolutely big" (big is gradable - use "very big")
  • "Completely tall" (tall is gradable - use "very tall")
  • "Totally expensive" (expensive is gradable - use "very expensive")

Right Usage (With Non-Gradable Adjectives):

  • "Absolutely enormous" (enormous = very big)
  • "Completely devastated" (devastated = very sad)
  • "Totally exhausted" (exhausted = very tired)
08 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Regional and Age Differences

Who Says What:

  • "Absolutely": All ages, formal and informal, very British
  • "Completely": All ages, neutral, universal
  • "Totally": Younger people, casual, American influence
  • Tip: If in doubt, use "completely" - it's the safest bet!
09 / THE RULE & EXAMPLES

Slang Alternatives

British Slang Versions:

  • "Dead": "Dead right!" (completely right)
  • "Proper": "Proper brilliant!" (absolutely brilliant)
  • "Well": "Well good!" (totally good)
  • "Mental": "Mental tired!" (completely exhausted)
  • "Bare": "Bare good!" (totally good - London slang)
10 / YOUR TURN

Practice Exercises (Get Absolutely Mental!)

Exercise 1: Choose the Best Option

1. That's _____ impossible! (Choose: absolutely/completely/totally)
Answer:
2. I _____ understand your point. (Choose: absolutely/completely/totally)
Answer:
3. "Do you agree– "_____ !" (Choose: absolutely/completely/totally)
Answer:
4. That movie was _____ awesome! (Choose: absolutely/completely/totally)
Answer:

Exercise 2: Formal or Informal?

1. Business presentation: "_____ essential" (absolutely/totally)
Answer:
2. Chatting with mates: "_____ agree!" (absolutely/totally)
Answer:
3. Academic writing: "_____ different" (completely/totally)
Answer:
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Absolutely brilliant! Now you're completely ready to use these words totally correctly!