Degree adverbs say how much (very, absolutely), focus adverbs single out a word (only) and stance adverbs show the speaker's view (frankly). Gradable adjectives take very; extreme adjectives take absolutely: It's very cold. It's absolutely freezing.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B2: choose B2 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at B2: choose B2 or a higher level.
CheatsheetB2–C2
| Point | Rule | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree with adjectives | very goes with gradable adjectives, absolutely with extreme ones | It's very cold. / It's absolutely freezing. | B2 |
| Quite | quite means fairly before a gradable adjective, completely before an extreme one | It's quite good. / I'm quite sure. | B2 |
| Degree with verbs | most precede the verb; very much and a lot follow it | I totally agree. / I like it very much. | B2 |
| Focus | a focus adverb stands next to the word it focuses on | Only Tom came. / Tom came only on Monday. | B2 |
| Still and no longer | still continues; no longer and any more end | She still lives here. / She no longer lives here. | B2 |
| Sentence adverbs | they comment on the whole sentence; a comma follows at the start | Luckily, nobody was hurt. | B2 |
| Downtoners | hardly, scarcely and barely are negative: no second negative | I can hardly see. | C1 |
| Collocations | the intensifier follows the meaning of the adjective | highly unlikely / deeply concerned | C1 |
| Stance adverbs | they show how sure or how fair the speaker is | Arguably, it is her best book. | C1 |
| Formal adverbs | formal prose adds adverbs such as invariably and exceedingly | He invariably arrives early. / She was exceedingly kind. | C2 |
| Position | an adverb follows the first auxiliary; before it for emphasis | It has quite clearly been a success. / He certainly has. | C2 |
| Trap | an extreme adjective takes absolutely or really | The soup is absolutely delicious. | B2 |
Form: degree adverbs with adjectivesB2
| Adjective type | Adverbs | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| gradable, a high degree | very / extremely / terribly | It's very cold. / The soup is extremely hot. | B2 |
| extreme | absolutely / completely / totally / utterly | It's absolutely freezing. / I'm completely exhausted. | B2 |
| classifying | completely / totally / entirely / absolutely | The plan is absolutely perfect. / The two cases are entirely different. | B2 |
| gradable, a moderate degree | quite / rather / fairly / pretty | The room is fairly big. / The food was pretty good. | B2 |
| gradable, a low degree | slightly / a bit / somewhat | I'm slightly tired. / It's a bit cold today. | B2 |
- Really goes with gradable and extreme adjectives: It's really cold. / It's really fantastic.
Gradable, extreme and classifying adjectivesB2
| Gradable | Extreme | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| cold | freezing | It was very cold at noon and absolutely freezing at night. | B2 |
| good | fantastic | The soup was very good and the cake was absolutely fantastic. | B2 |
| big | enormous | Our flat is very big, but theirs is absolutely enormous. | B2 |
| tired | exhausted | I was very tired and she was completely exhausted. | B2 |
- A classifying adjective names a category, not a point on a scale: impossible, perfect, identical, unique. The answer is completely impossible.
Use: quite and ratherB2
| Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| quite before a gradable adjective means fairly | The film was quite good. / It's quite cold today. | B2 |
| quite before an extreme or classifying adjective means completely | The plan is quite perfect. / That is quite impossible. | B2 |
| quite a lot and quite a few mean a fairly large amount or number | We have quite a lot of time. / I know quite a few people here. | B2 |
| rather means more than expected, often in a critical sense | It's rather cold in here. / The test was rather difficult. | B2 |
| Before a singular noun, the article follows quite and rather | We had quite a nice day. / It was rather a long journey. | B2 |
- US: quite is often as strong as very. The film was quite good.
Use: degree adverbs with verbsB2
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| really / totally / completely / absolutely | a high degree; before the main verb | I really like it. / I totally agree. | B2 |
| deeply / strongly / greatly | a strong, more formal degree; before the main verb | I strongly disagree. / We greatly admire her. | B2 |
| almost / nearly | not quite; before the main verb | I almost fell. / She nearly missed the bus. | B2 |
| hardly | almost not; before the main verb | I hardly know him. | B2 |
| a lot / very much | a high degree; after the verb or its object | She helps a lot. / I like it very much. | B2 |
| a bit | a low degree; after the verb or its object | Can you speak up a bit? | B2 |
| not…at all | none; at the end of the clause | I didn't enjoy it at all. | B2 |
| not quite | almost, but not completely | I'm not quite ready. | B2 |
| not really | a softer no | Do you like jazz? — Not really. | B2 |
Use: focus adverbsB2
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| only / merely / simply | nothing more than | She only wants a coffee. / It is merely a suggestion. / You simply press the button. | B2 |
| even | more than expected | Even a child can do it. | B2 |
| also / too / as well | in addition; also goes before the main verb, too and as well at the end | She also speaks French. / She speaks French too. | B2 |
| especially / particularly | above all the others | I love fruit, especially apples. / The food was particularly good. | B2 |
| mainly / mostly | in most cases | We sell mainly books. / The guests were mostly students. | B2 |
| exactly / precisely | no more and no less | It costs exactly ten pounds. / We meet at precisely nine. | B2 |
- A focus adverb stands next to the word it focuses on: Only Tom came. / Tom came only on Monday.
- even follows the auxiliary in a negative sentence: He didn't even call.
Use: the meanings of justB2
| Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| just means exactly | The soup is just right. / It looks just like mine. | B2 |
| just means only | It will take just a minute. | B2 |
| just means at this moment, or about to do something | I'm just leaving. / I was just going to call you. | B2 |
| just in a request or an instruction makes it friendlier | Just ask her. / Could I just borrow your pen? | B2 |
- just with the present perfect, for a moment ago, is in Perfect Tenses.
Use: still, no longer and any moreB2
| Word | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| still | the situation continues; before the main verb, after be | She still lives here. / She is still asleep. | B2 |
| no longer | the situation has ended; before the main verb, after be | She no longer lives here. / He is no longer a student. | B2 |
| not…any more / not…any longer | the situation has ended; at the end of the clause | She doesn't live here any more (US: anymore). / I can't wait any longer. | B2 |
- In a negative sentence, still goes before the auxiliary: He still doesn't understand.
Compare: still, yet and alreadyB2
| Point | still | yet | already | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | continues up to now | expected, but not yet true | sooner than expected | B2 |
| Sentences | positive, negative, questions | negative and questions | positive and questions | B2 |
| Position | before the main verb | at the end | before the main verb or at the end | B2 |
| Example | She is still here. | She isn't here yet. | She is already here. | B2 |
- yet and already with the present perfect are in Perfect Tenses.
Use: sentence adverbsB2
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fortunately / unfortunately / luckily / surprisingly | the speaker's judgement of the event | Fortunately, nobody was hurt. / Surprisingly, the test was easy. | B2 |
| obviously / clearly | the fact is plain to everyone | Obviously, she was tired. / Clearly, he knew the answer. | B2 |
| apparently / presumably | the speaker has heard it, or assumes it | Apparently, the shop is closed. / Presumably, he has left. | B2 |
| frankly / honestly / personally | the speaker's own words and view | Frankly, I disagree. / Personally, I prefer tea. | B2 |
| basically | in essence | Basically, it is a game of chance. | B2 |
| actually | corrects or adds a fact, often a surprising one | Actually, the film starts at eight. | B2 |
| naturally | of course | Naturally, we said yes. | B2 |
| politically / financially / technically | in that respect: a viewpoint | Politically, the plan is risky. / The idea is technically possible. | B2 |
Form: position of sentence adverbsB2
| Position | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| at the start, followed by a comma | Obviously, she was tired. | B2 |
| in the middle: before the main verb, after be | She obviously knew. / He is obviously tired. | B2 |
| at the end, after a comma | She was tired, obviously. | B2 |
Compare: sentence adverbs and manner adverbsB2
| Point | Sentence adverb | Manner adverb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | the speaker's comment on the whole sentence | how the action is done | B2 |
| Example | Clearly, she was ill. | She spoke clearly. | B2 |
| Example | Honestly, he answered. | He answered honestly. | B2 |
- Manner adverbs and their position are in Adverbs of frequency and manner.
Downtoners and approximatorsC1
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| scarcely / barely | only just; scarcely is formal | We had scarcely enough money. / She barely slept. | C1 |
| virtually / practically | in effect, though not strictly | The road is virtually empty. / It's practically impossible. | C1 |
| all but | very nearly | The job is all but finished. | C1 |
| more or less | roughly, nearly | I more or less agree. / It's more or less ready. | C1 |
- hardly, scarcely and barely are negative in meaning, so the verb is positive: I hardly know anyone here.
- Before negative words such as nobody and never, almost is the usual choice: Almost nobody came. / We almost never eat out.
- not nearly means far from: That is not nearly enough.
Intensifier collocationsC1
| Adverb | Goes with | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| deeply | concerned / grateful / moved / ashamed | We are deeply grateful. / She was deeply moved. | C1 |
| highly | unlikely / likely / successful / skilled | It is highly unlikely. / He is a highly skilled nurse. | C1 |
| bitterly | cold / disappointed | It was bitterly cold last night. / He was bitterly disappointed. | C1 |
| utterly | ridiculous / useless / hopeless | The idea is utterly ridiculous. | C1 |
| fully | aware / prepared / understand | I am fully aware of the risks. | C1 |
| perfectly | clear / normal / fine | It's perfectly normal to feel nervous. | C1 |
| painfully | slow / shy / obvious | The queue was painfully slow. | C1 |
| widely | known / believed / used | The song is widely known. | C1 |
| strongly / firmly | recommend / believe / disagree / support | I strongly recommend this book. / We firmly believe in her. | C1 |
- The intensifier follows the meaning of the word: feelings take deeply, chances take highly, clarity takes perfectly.
Adverbs before participlesC1
| Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| adverb and past participle as an adjective before a noun | a highly recommended hotel / a carefully planned trip | C1 |
| after be: the same pair describes the subject | The story is widely believed. / She was deeply moved. | C1 |
| adverb and ‑ing participle: the effect on others | a deeply moving film / a highly demanding job | C1 |
Stance adverbsC1
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| arguably | the claim can be defended, but not everyone agrees | Arguably, it is her best book. | C1 |
| admittedly | the speaker accepts a point against the argument | The hotel is old, admittedly, but it is clean. | C1 |
| supposedly | people say so, but the speaker doubts it | The food is supposedly the best in town. | C1 |
| evidently | the evidence shows it | Evidently, the meeting has ended. | C1 |
| undoubtedly | there is no doubt | She is undoubtedly the best player. | C1 |
| indeed | confirms a statement and adds to it | It was a good idea, indeed a brilliant one. | C1 |
| in fact | adds a fact that strengthens or corrects the sentence before | I don't mind. In fact, I'd love to. | C1 |
- At the start of a sentence, a stance adverb takes a comma: Undoubtedly, she is the best player.
- arguably and undoubtedly stand before the word they judge, with no commas: It is arguably her best book.
- admittedly and in fact interrupt the clause between commas, marking a pause: The plan is, admittedly, expensive.
Focusing adverbs and scopeC1
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| solely / purely | only, and nothing else | The decision was solely mine. / I did it purely for fun. | C1 |
| chiefly | mainly; formal | She is known chiefly for her poems. | C1 |
| notably / in particular | singles out the most important example | Many cities, notably Rome, are crowded. / I enjoyed the music in particular. | C1 |
| not only / not just | adds a second point | The food is not only cheap but also good. / It is not just a game. | C1 |
| not even | not the least likely person or thing | Not even the teacher knew the answer. | C1 |
| Position of only | Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| before the subject | no one else said it | Only she said hello. | C1 |
| before the verb | she did nothing more than say it | She only said hello. | C1 |
| before the object | she said nothing else | She said only hello. | C1 |
Informal intensifiersC1
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ever so | very; friendly, British | It's ever so kind of you. / She was ever so nice. | C1 |
| awfully / dreadfully | very; before pleasant and unpleasant adjectives, British | I'm awfully sorry. / She is dreadfully busy. | C1 |
| jolly | very; dated, British | That was jolly good. | C1 |
| way | much, before a comparative or too; informal, mainly American | This is way better. / It's way too late. | C1 |
Formal stance adverbsC2
| Adverbs | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| purportedly / ostensibly | claimed or apparent, but perhaps untrue | The photo was purportedly taken in 1950. / He left early, ostensibly to catch a train. | C2 |
| conceivably | it is possible to imagine | The strike could conceivably last a month. | C2 |
| inevitably | it cannot be avoided | Delays inevitably follow. | C2 |
| invariably | every time | He invariably arrives early. | C2 |
| undeniably / unquestionably | beyond doubt | It is undeniably true. / She is unquestionably the best candidate. | C2 |
| markedly / decidedly | clearly, to a noticeable degree | The results were markedly different. / It was a decidedly odd result. | C2 |
- Speech uses plainer words instead: always for invariably, definitely for undeniably.
Formal degree adverbsC2
| Adverb | Goes with | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| exceedingly | difficult / rare / kind | The exam was exceedingly difficult. | C2 |
| exceptionally | talented / rare / well | She is an exceptionally talented pianist. | C2 |
| remarkably | similar / calm / quickly | The twins are remarkably similar. | C2 |
| immensely | popular / grateful / enjoy | The show was immensely popular. / We immensely enjoyed the concert. | C2 |
| vastly | better / different / improved | The new road is vastly better. / Her health has vastly improved. | C2 |
| profoundly | shocked / affected / moved | He was profoundly shocked. | C2 |
- vastly goes with comparatives and change, profoundly with feeling and effect.
Position in complex verb phrasesC2
| Position | Use | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| after the first auxiliary | the usual place for adverbs of certainty and degree | It has quite clearly been a success. / She will probably have left. | C2 |
| before the auxiliary | emphasis, mostly in short replies | Has he paid? — He certainly has. | C2 |
| between to and the verb | a split infinitive puts the stress on the adverb | We want to fully understand it. / to boldly go | C2 |
| final though | contrast with the sentence before; informal | It's expensive. I like it, though. | C2 |
| final anyway | in spite of that | It was raining, but we went anyway. | C2 |
Typical errorsB2–C2
| Wrong | Right | Rule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| It's very freezing today. | It's absolutely freezing today. | an extreme adjective takes absolutely or really, not very | B2 |
| The plan is very impossible. | The plan is completely impossible. | a classifying adjective takes completely or totally | B2 |
| I very like it. | I really like it. | very does not modify a verb; a verb takes really or very much | B2 |
| I like very much it. | I like it very much. | very much follows the object | B2 |
| I don't no longer smoke. | I no longer smoke. | no longer is already negative, so the verb stays positive | B2 |
| He even didn't call. | He didn't even call. | even follows the auxiliary in a negative sentence | B2 |
| I can't hardly hear you. | I can hardly hear you. | hardly is negative in meaning, so the verb is positive | C1 |
| The idea is highly ridiculous. | The idea is utterly ridiculous. | ridiculous takes utterly, not highly | C1 |
| The twins are remarkable similar. | The twins are remarkably similar. | an adverb, not an adjective, modifies an adjective | C2 |
| It is a vastly good result. | It is a vastly better result. | vastly goes with comparatives and verbs of change | C2 |
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The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.Start over
The AlphabetA0The 26 letters of the English alphabet and their names, used to spell words aloud.