Los intensificadores gradúan cuánto de algo hay, pero no todos combinan con todos los adjetivos. La clave está en distinguir dos grupos. Los adjetivos graduables (pueden ser más o menos: cold, big, tired) van con very, quite, fairly. Los adjetivos extremos (ya llevan el "muy" dentro: freezing, huge, exhausted) van con absolutely, completely, totally. Decir "very freezing" chirría igual que decir "muy congelado" en español; se dice absolutely freezing.
Graduable vs extremo
ENGradable adjective → very / quite / fairly: very cold.
ESAdjetivo graduable → very / quite / fairly: very cold.
ENExtreme adjective → absolutely / completely / totally: absolutely freezing.
ESAdjetivo extremo → absolutely / completely / totally: absolutely freezing.
ENSome adjectives are already absolute — no "very": unique, perfect, dead, impossible.
ESAlgunos adjetivos ya son absolutos — sin "very": unique, perfect, dead, impossible.
ENNuance: rather leans negative, fairly neutral, pretty a nice surprise, quite an opinion (I quite agree).
ESMatiz: rather tira a negativo, fairly neutro, pretty grata sorpresa, quite opinión (I quite agree).
El error típico del hispanohablante
No digas "very" con extremos: absolutely amazing, no "very amazing".
hardly significa casi no (no "duramente"): I can hardly hear you.