very

Because very is primarily an adjective it should not be used to qualify a verb. Write "She was very much loved by her children," not "She was very loved...." However, when very is followed by a participle that has the effect of an adjective, informal use would allow very to appear without a qualifying word such as much or greatly: "She was very concerned." The only real objection to very is that it is uttered over and over in almost every conceivable instance calling for an intensive. One language expert once told his students never to say or write very unless they meant damn or damned, and then to delete the profanity. The message: use very "very" little or not at all.