Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of Degree

Definition

Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity of a verb, adjective, or other adverb. Some common adverbs of degree are:

absolutely- completely- hardly -quite- so- almost enough- just- rather- too- barely -extremely nearly -scarcely -very

Examples

Adverbs of degree usually go before the main verb they modify.

I’ve almost finished packing.

I nearly missed my flight.

Adverbs of degree usually go before the adjective or adverb they modify.

The travel agent was extremely helpful.

He read the map very carefully.

When enough is used as an adverb of degree, it is placed after adjectives and adverbs.

Is your coffee hot enough?

You are not speaking loudly enough. 

Sentence Adverbs 

Sentence adverbs modify an entire sentence, or a whole clause within a sentence.

They indicate the attitude of the speaker. Some common sentence adverbs are:

actually- certainly -frankly*- obviously -probably admittedly*- clearly- honestly*- officially* undoubtedly- apparently- evidently- naturally* presumably- (un)fortunately

examples

(*) Some sentence adverbs usually go at the beginning of a sentence.

Frankly, I'm disappointed in the quality of this hotel.

Other sentence adverbs can go after the verb be, before simple tenses of other verbs, or after the auxiliary in a compound verb.

You are obviously having a good time.

He certainly spent a lot of money on this trip.

The flight has undoubtedly left by now.