Question: I hear phrases like 

> 
> I very almost fell over! 
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often and to me they sound awkward. Is the word, "very", wrong, just superfluous or completely valid? Should this wording be avoided?

Answer: 
Consider the relevant definitions of the adverbs, *very* and *almost*, from the New Oxford American Dictionary (2nd Edition):

> 
> * **very** — in a high degree
> * **almost** — not quite; very nearly
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Now, it is standard to modify one adverb with another. Examples: 

> 
> * *very*: He dragged the chair very slowly across the room.
> * *so*: Why must she leave so soon?
> * *almost:* We are almost there.
> * *too:* By the time we got there, we knew we'd come too late.
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In your example, however, *very* and *almost* modify *over*. There are certainly several instances in English where two adverbs (modifiers) modify a third. Examples:

> 
> * *so very:* Why must she go so very fast?
> * *almost too:* She hit me almost too hard; I nearly passed out.
> * *far too:* You went far too easy on her.
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Some other constructions, especially those containing *very* and *so*, could be considered colloquial and not suitable in formal writing:

> 
> * *so very:* That was so very good!
> * *way too:* His speech was way too boring! (Actually informal)
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Now, the construction, *very almost* is probably the most unidiomatic of these informal expressions, especially considering the fact that *very* is already in the definition of *almost*:

> 
> * I *almost* fell over.
> * I *very nearly* fell over.
> * I *very almost* fell over. [?]
> * I *very, very nearly* fell over. [Better, but overly informal]
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These days, the overuse of *very* is rightly frowned upon. It is not a bad idea to stay away from *very* and try to use more descriptive language. Certainly, use *very* as often as you want, but note that *very almost* is quite unidiomatic in regular formal and semi-formal usage. It may well be more of a regionalism than anything else.
I have never heard "very almost", and would find it odd.

Which makes me wonder if you are in another part of the world, where perhaps it is more common?