😱 Scared Levels
Night in the park. Mia says she's scared of nothing, until the bush starts to move. Ollie has a stronger word for every level, until a tiny spider shows up.
The rule
nervouslevel 1
= a little worried
- ✅ I'm nervous about my exam.
scaredlevel 2
= afraid
- ✅ I'm scared of the dark.
terrifiedlevel 3
= very, very scared
- ✅ I'm terrified of spiders.
petrifiedlevel 4
= so scared you can't move
- ✅ I was petrified when the ghost jumped out.
The mix-up
- ❌ I'm very, very, very scared!
- ✅ I'm terrified!
Good to know
- "Very scared" isn't wrong, but one strong word sounds more natural.
- Petrified has a second meaning: turned to stone, like a petrified tree. That's the joke in the video!
- These words are the same in British and American English.
Quick quiz
1Which word is the strongest?
Answer: petrified. Petrified means so scared you can't move.
2I have a job interview tomorrow. I'm a bit ___.
Answer: nervous. "A bit" fits a small worry: nervous.
3Instead of "very, very scared", you can say...
Answer: terrified. Terrified = very, very scared.
Checked in
- Cambridge Dictionary: nervous, scared, terrified, petrified, petrify