一、副词very 主要修饰形容词或副词：

He was very angry at losing it. 丢失了它他很生气。

He has behaved very badly to you. 他待你很不好。

He is not handsome, but is very pleasant looking. 他并不英俊，但招人喜爱。

He believes very strongly in female emancipation. 他强烈主张妇女解放。

【注】修饰副词 too(太)，要用 much：

It is much too expensive. 这太贵了。

90 miles an hour is much too fast. 一个钟头开90 英里太快了。

二、副词much 主要修饰动词，而且除非其前有very, too, so 等修饰语，它只用于否定句和疑问句：

She doesn’t like him much. 她不太喜欢他。

Does she much like him? / Does she like him much? 她很喜欢他吗?

She likes him very much. 她很喜欢他。

【注】不带修饰语的much有时也可能在肯定句中修饰动词，但这只限于 regret, admire, prefer, appreciate 等少数动词，且此时的 much 应置于句中，而不是句末：

We much appreciate your invitation. 我们非常感激你的邀请。

三、much 除修饰动词外，还可修饰比较级和最高级以及介词短语等：

He is much better today. 他今天好多了。

This is much the most difficult. 这是最最困难的。

Much to my surprise, he was a thief. 使我大为吃惊的是，他是个贼。

【注】very 有时也可修饰最高级 (注意在句中的位置)：

This is the very lowest price. 这是最低最低的价格。

四、修饰过去分词，通常用 much，不用 very。但修饰已经转化成形容词的过去分词，或形容词性较强的过去分词 (如过去分词作定语时)，则可用 very：

I was much surprised at the news. 听到这个消息我非常吃惊。

Her face wore a very surprised expression. 她脸上露出很吃惊的表情。

五、very much 是 much 的强调说法，从理论上说，可用 much 的地方，原则上也可用very much。