What are Adverbs of Degree?
Adverbs of degree (also called intensifiers) tell us how much or to what extent something is true.
They usually come before the adjective or adverb they modify.
The box is very heavy. — how heavy? She runs extremely fast. — how fast?
Common Adverbs of Degree
| Strength | Adverb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Very high | absolutely, completely, totally | absolutely sure |
| High | very, really, extremely | very tired |
| Medium | quite, rather, fairly | quite good |
| Low | a bit, a little, slightly | slightly cold |
| Negative | not at all, hardly, barely | hardly noticeable |
"Quite" — Two Different Meanings
Quite has two meanings depending on the adjective it modifies:
- With gradable adjectives (can vary in degree): quite good = fairly good (medium)
- With absolute adjectives (no degrees): quite right = completely right (strong)
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The film was quite good. | fairly / reasonably good |
| You are quite wrong. | completely / totally wrong |
Modifying Adverbs
Adverbs of degree can also modify other adverbs:
She speaks incredibly quickly. He arrived a little late.
Real world: restaurant review
The food was absolutely delicious — the pasta was perfectly cooked and incredibly fresh. The service was fairly slow, but the atmosphere was extremely cosy. I was totally satisfied.
Real world: weather forecast
It will be quite cold in the morning, with temperatures slightly below zero in the north. The south will be fairly mild, but it will be rather windy near the coast.
Practice Problems
Choose the best adverb of degree: 'The water was __ hot — we couldn't drink it.' (slightly / absolutely / barely)
Show answer
Correct the error: 'She is very exhausted.' Is this standard?
Show answer
Fill in the blank with an appropriate adverb of degree: 'I am __ sure about the answer — maybe 90%.'