# Adverbs of Degree, Focus and Attitude

https://langs123.com/en/english/adjectives-adverbs/adverbs-degree-focus/
CEFR B2–C2 · 2026-10-19 · CC BY 4.0, langs123 contributors (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

> 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.

## Cheatsheet

| Point | Rule | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Degree with adjectives | very goes with gradable adjectives, absolutely with extreme ones | It's very cold. / It's absolutely freezing. |
| Quite | quite means fairly before a gradable adjective, completely before an extreme one | It's quite good. / I'm quite sure. |
| Degree with verbs | most precede the verb; very much and a lot follow it | I totally agree. / I like it very much. |
| Focus | a focus adverb stands next to the word it focuses on | Only Tom came. / Tom came only on Monday. |
| Still and no longer | still continues; no longer and any more end | She still lives here. / She no longer lives here. |
| Sentence adverbs | they comment on the whole sentence; a comma follows at the start | Luckily, nobody was hurt. |
| Downtoners | hardly, scarcely and barely are negative: no second negative | I can hardly see. |
| Collocations | the intensifier follows the meaning of the adjective | highly unlikely / deeply concerned |
| Stance adverbs | they show how sure or how fair the speaker is | Arguably, it is her best book. |
| Formal adverbs | formal prose adds adverbs such as invariably and exceedingly | He invariably arrives early. / She was exceedingly kind. |
| Position | an adverb follows the first auxiliary; before it for emphasis | It has quite clearly been a success. / He certainly has. |
| Trap | an extreme adjective takes absolutely or really | The soup is absolutely delicious. |

## Form: degree adverbs with adjectives

| Adjective type | Adverbs | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| gradable, a high degree | very / extremely / terribly | It's very cold. / The soup is extremely hot. |
| extreme | absolutely / completely / totally / utterly | It's absolutely freezing. / I'm completely exhausted. |
| classifying | completely / totally / entirely / absolutely | The plan is absolutely perfect. / The two cases are entirely different. |
| gradable, a moderate degree | quite / rather / fairly / pretty | The room is fairly big. / The food was pretty good. |
| gradable, a low degree | slightly / a bit / somewhat | I'm slightly tired. / It's a bit cold today. |

- Really goes with gradable and extreme adjectives: It's really cold. / It's really fantastic.

## Gradable, extreme and classifying adjectives

| Gradable | Extreme | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| cold | freezing | It was very cold at noon and absolutely freezing at night. |
| good | fantastic | The soup was very good and the cake was absolutely fantastic. |
| big | enormous | Our flat is very big, but theirs is absolutely enormous. |
| tired | exhausted | I was very tired and she was completely exhausted. |

- A classifying adjective names a category, not a point on a scale: impossible, perfect, identical, unique. The answer is completely impossible.

## Use: quite and rather

| Use | Example |
| --- | --- |
| quite before a gradable adjective means fairly | The film was quite good. / It's quite cold today. |
| quite before an extreme or classifying adjective means completely | The plan is quite perfect. / That is quite impossible. |
| 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. |
| rather means more than expected, often in a critical sense | It's rather cold in here. / The test was rather difficult. |
| Before a singular noun, the article follows quite and rather | We had quite a nice day. / It was rather a long journey. |

- US: quite is often as strong as very. The film was quite good.

## Use: degree adverbs with verbs

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| really / totally / completely / absolutely | a high degree; before the main verb | I really like it. / I totally agree. |
| deeply / strongly / greatly | a strong, more formal degree; before the main verb | I strongly disagree. / We greatly admire her. |
| almost / nearly | not quite; before the main verb | I almost fell. / She nearly missed the bus. |
| hardly | almost not; before the main verb | I hardly know him. |
| a lot / very much | a high degree; after the verb or its object | She helps a lot. / I like it very much. |
| a bit | a low degree; after the verb or its object | Can you speak up a bit? |
| not…at all | none; at the end of the clause | I didn't enjoy it at all. |
| not quite | almost, but not completely | I'm not quite ready. |
| not really | a softer no | Do you like jazz? — Not really. |

## Use: focus adverbs

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| only / merely / simply | nothing more than | She only wants a coffee. / It is merely a suggestion. / You simply press the button. |
| even | more than expected | Even a child can do it. |
| 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. |
| especially / particularly | above all the others | I love fruit, especially apples. / The food was particularly good. |
| mainly / mostly | in most cases | We sell mainly books. / The guests were mostly students. |
| exactly / precisely | no more and no less | It costs exactly ten pounds. / We meet at precisely nine. |

- 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 just

| Use | Example |
| --- | --- |
| just means exactly | The soup is just right. / It looks just like mine. |
| just means only | It will take just a minute. |
| just means at this moment, or about to do something | I'm just leaving. / I was just going to call you. |
| just in a request or an instruction makes it friendlier | Just ask her. / Could I just borrow your pen? |

- just with the present perfect, for a moment ago, is in Perfect Tenses.

## Use: still, no longer and any more

| Word | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| still | the situation continues; before the main verb, after be | She still lives here. / She is still asleep. |
| no longer | the situation has ended; before the main verb, after be | She no longer lives here. / He is no longer a student. |
| 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. |

- In a negative sentence, still goes before the auxiliary: He still doesn't understand.

## Compare: still, yet and already

| Point | still | yet | already |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Meaning | continues up to now | expected, but not yet true | sooner than expected |
| Sentences | positive, negative, questions | negative and questions | positive and questions |
| Position | before the main verb | at the end | before the main verb or at the end |
| Example | She is still here. | She isn't here yet. | She is already here. |

- yet and already with the present perfect are in Perfect Tenses.

## Use: sentence adverbs

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| fortunately / unfortunately / luckily / surprisingly | the speaker's judgement of the event | Fortunately, nobody was hurt. / Surprisingly, the test was easy. |
| obviously / clearly | the fact is plain to everyone | Obviously, she was tired. / Clearly, he knew the answer. |
| apparently / presumably | the speaker has heard it, or assumes it | Apparently, the shop is closed. / Presumably, he has left. |
| frankly / honestly / personally | the speaker's own words and view | Frankly, I disagree. / Personally, I prefer tea. |
| basically | in essence | Basically, it is a game of chance. |
| actually | corrects or adds a fact, often a surprising one | Actually, the film starts at eight. |
| naturally | of course | Naturally, we said yes. |
| politically / financially / technically | in that respect: a viewpoint | Politically, the plan is risky. / The idea is technically possible. |

## Form: position of sentence adverbs

| Position | Example |
| --- | --- |
| at the start, followed by a comma | Obviously, she was tired. |
| in the middle: before the main verb, after be | She obviously knew. / He is obviously tired. |
| at the end, after a comma | She was tired, obviously. |

## Compare: sentence adverbs and manner adverbs

| Point | Sentence adverb | Manner adverb |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Meaning | the speaker's comment on the whole sentence | how the action is done |
| Example | Clearly, she was ill. | She spoke clearly. |
| Example | Honestly, he answered. | He answered honestly. |

- Manner adverbs and their position are in Adverbs of frequency and manner.

## Downtoners and approximators

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| scarcely / barely | only just; scarcely is formal | We had scarcely enough money. / She barely slept. |
| virtually / practically | in effect, though not strictly | The road is virtually empty. / It's practically impossible. |
| all but | very nearly | The job is all but finished. |
| more or less | roughly, nearly | I more or less agree. / It's more or less ready. |

- 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 collocations

| Adverb | Goes with | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| deeply | concerned / grateful / moved / ashamed | We are deeply grateful. / She was deeply moved. |
| highly | unlikely / likely / successful / skilled | It is highly unlikely. / He is a highly skilled nurse. |
| bitterly | cold / disappointed | It was bitterly cold last night. / He was bitterly disappointed. |
| utterly | ridiculous / useless / hopeless | The idea is utterly ridiculous. |
| fully | aware / prepared / understand | I am fully aware of the risks. |
| perfectly | clear / normal / fine | It's perfectly normal to feel nervous. |
| painfully | slow / shy / obvious | The queue was painfully slow. |
| widely | known / believed / used | The song is widely known. |
| strongly / firmly | recommend / believe / disagree / support | I strongly recommend this book. / We firmly believe in her. |

- The intensifier follows the meaning of the word: feelings take deeply, chances take highly, clarity takes perfectly.

## Adverbs before participles

| Use | Example |
| --- | --- |
| adverb and past participle as an adjective before a noun | a highly recommended hotel / a carefully planned trip |
| after be: the same pair describes the subject | The story is widely believed. / She was deeply moved. |
| adverb and -ing participle: the effect on others | a deeply moving film / a highly demanding job |

## Stance adverbs

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| arguably | the claim can be defended, but not everyone agrees | Arguably, it is her best book. |
| admittedly | the speaker accepts a point against the argument | The hotel is old, admittedly, but it is clean. |
| supposedly | people say so, but the speaker doubts it | The food is supposedly the best in town. |
| evidently | the evidence shows it | Evidently, the meeting has ended. |
| undoubtedly | there is no doubt | She is undoubtedly the best player. |
| indeed | confirms a statement and adds to it | It was a good idea, indeed a brilliant one. |
| in fact | adds a fact that strengthens or corrects the sentence before | I don't mind. In fact, I'd love to. |

- 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 scope

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| solely / purely | only, and nothing else | The decision was solely mine. / I did it purely for fun. |
| chiefly | mainly; formal | She is known chiefly for her poems. |
| notably / in particular | singles out the most important example | Many cities, notably Rome, are crowded. / I enjoyed the music in particular. |
| not only / not just | adds a second point | The food is not only cheap but also good. / It is not just a game. |
| not even | not the least likely person or thing | Not even the teacher knew the answer. |

| Position of only | Meaning | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| before the subject | no one else said it | Only she said hello. |
| before the verb | she did nothing more than say it | She only said hello. |
| before the object | she said nothing else | She said only hello. |

## Informal intensifiers

| Adverbs | Use | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ever so | very; friendly, British | It's ever so kind of you. / She was ever so nice. |
| awfully / dreadfully | very; before pleasant and unpleasant adjectives, British | I'm awfully sorry. / She is dreadfully busy. |
| jolly | very; dated, British | That was jolly good. |
| way | much, before a comparative or too; informal, mainly American | This is way better. / It's way too late. |

## Formal stance adverbs

| 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. |
| conceivably | it is possible to imagine | The strike could conceivably last a month. |
| inevitably | it cannot be avoided | Delays inevitably follow. |
| invariably | every time | He invariably arrives early. |
| undeniably / unquestionably | beyond doubt | It is undeniably true. / She is unquestionably the best candidate. |
| markedly / decidedly | clearly, to a noticeable degree | The results were markedly different. / It was a decidedly odd result. |

- Speech uses plainer words instead: always for invariably, definitely for undeniably.

## Formal degree adverbs

| Adverb | Goes with | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| exceedingly | difficult / rare / kind | The exam was exceedingly difficult. |
| exceptionally | talented / rare / well | She is an exceptionally talented pianist. |
| remarkably | similar / calm / quickly | The twins are remarkably similar. |
| immensely | popular / grateful / enjoy | The show was immensely popular. / We immensely enjoyed the concert. |
| vastly | better / different / improved | The new road is vastly better. / Her health has vastly improved. |
| profoundly | shocked / affected / moved | He was profoundly shocked. |

- vastly goes with comparatives and change, profoundly with feeling and effect.

## Position in complex verb phrases

| 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. |
| before the auxiliary | emphasis, mostly in short replies | Has he paid? — He certainly has. |
| between to and the verb | a split infinitive puts the stress on the adverb | We want to fully understand it. / to boldly go |
| final though | contrast with the sentence before; informal | It's expensive. I like it, though. |
| final anyway | in spite of that | It was raining, but we went anyway. |

## Typical errors

| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
| --- | --- | --- |
| It's very freezing today. | It's absolutely freezing today. | an extreme adjective takes absolutely or really, not very |
| The plan is very impossible. | The plan is completely impossible. | a classifying adjective takes completely or totally |
| I very like it. | I really like it. | very does not modify a verb; a verb takes really or very much |
| I like very much it. | I like it very much. | very much follows the object |
| I don't no longer smoke. | I no longer smoke. | no longer is already negative, so the verb stays positive |
| He even didn't call. | He didn't even call. | even follows the auxiliary in a negative sentence |
| I can't hardly hear you. | I can hardly hear you. | hardly is negative in meaning, so the verb is positive |
| The idea is highly ridiculous. | The idea is utterly ridiculous. | ridiculous takes utterly, not highly |
| The twins are remarkable similar. | The twins are remarkably similar. | an adverb, not an adjective, modifies an adjective |
| It is a vastly good result. | It is a vastly better result. | vastly goes with comparatives and verbs of change |