intensive
B2Formal, academic, technical.
Definition
Meaning
Involving concentrated effort, high degree, or thoroughness; designed to achieve a lot in a short time.
In linguistics (especially grammar), indicates a construction expressing intensity. In agriculture (intensive farming), refers to methods aiming for high yield from small land areas.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a contrast with 'extensive'. Describes methods, courses, care, or study that is highly concentrated. Can have a slightly negative connotation when describing pressure (e.g., intensive workload).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'intensive care' (medical) and 'intensive farming'. 'Crash course' is a more informal synonym in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally formal and technical in both. Slight tendency in UK English to use 'intensive' more commonly in educational contexts (e.g., 'intensive language course').
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] + noun (intensive study)noun + [adjective] (course-intensive)adverb + [adjective] (highly intensive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(no common idioms directly with 'intensive'; it's part of fixed phrases like 'intensive care')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to resource use: 'labour-intensive manufacturing', 'capital-intensive investment'.
Academic
Describes research or study methods: 'intensive data analysis', 'an intensive review of the literature'.
Everyday
Often used for courses or periods of hard work: 'I took an intensive Spanish course', 'The week before the deadline was intensive'.
Technical
In medicine: 'intensive care unit (ICU)'. In agriculture/environmental science: 'intensive agriculture'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form)
American English
- (No standard verb form)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form; use 'intensively')
- The team worked intensively to meet the launch date.
American English
- (No standard adverb form; use 'intensively')
- He trained intensively for the marathon.
adjective
British English
- The company offers an intensive two-week management training programme.
- Intensive farming practices have raised environmental concerns.
American English
- She enrolled in an intensive summer language program.
- The patient remains in intensive care following the surgery.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (A2 usage rare) The course is very hard.
- I did an intensive English course last summer.
- This factory work is very labour-intensive.
- The journalist conducted an intensive investigation into the scandal.
- Moving from extensive to intensive farming changed the landscape.
- The capital-intensive nature of the industry creates high barriers to entry for new firms.
- A period of intensive philological study preceded his groundbreaking thesis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'IN-TENSE-ive' – something that makes you feel very TENSE because it requires so much focus and effort in a short time.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONCENTRATION IS DENSITY / PRESSURE (e.g., 'packed schedule', 'high-pressure course').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'интенсивный' when it means 'fast-paced' or 'rapid' (e.g., интенсивный рост) – English 'intensive' focuses on concentration of effort, not speed of outcome. Russian 'углубленный' is often a better fit for 'in-depth'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'intensive' to mean 'intense' for emotions (e.g., 'He was very intensive' – incorrect; use 'intense'). Overusing with 'very' ('very intensive' is acceptable but 'highly intensive' is more idiomatic in formal contexts).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'intensive' in the phrase 'intensive research'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Intensive' describes something concentrated, thorough, or designed to achieve a lot in a short time (focus on method/process). 'Intense' describes something of extreme degree, strength, or feeling (focus on quality/experience). E.g., 'an intensive course' (demanding schedule) vs. 'an intense experience' (emotionally powerful).
Rarely directly. You might say 'He is an intensive worker,' but it's slightly awkward. It's more natural to describe their actions or methods: 'He works intensively' or 'He follows an intensive study regime.'
It is neutral but context-dependent. In education/training ('intensive course') it is often positive (efficient). In work contexts ('intensive workload') it can imply stress and be negative. In environmental contexts ('intensive farming') it is often negative.
It means 'requiring a large amount of' the specified resource. 'Labour-intensive' = requires much labour/workforce. 'Capital-intensive' = requires much financial investment. 'Energy-intensive' = uses much energy.
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