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English has numerous adverbs that set the meaning strength of verbs, adjectives or adverbs
THE PROBLEM WITH DEGREE ADVERBS
Adverbs that say how much (so-called “intensifiers” or “adverbs of degree”) are one of many adverb subgroups that can be identified through their meaning (see 120. Six Things to Know about Adverbs, #1). They indicate the strength of a neighbouring verb, adjective, adverb or preposition. Two examples that are considered in detail elsewhere in these pages are much and very (see 98. “Very”, “Much” and “Very Much”).
Degree adverbs are surprisingly numerous. They vary not just according to their meaning but also, in some cases, according to the grammatical class of their partner word, or to the different forms of that word, or to their own level of formality. This means, of course, that choosing the right one in a particular situation can be a problem.
This post explores the use of degree adverbs with adjectives and adverbs on the one hand, and with verbs on the other. For use with prepositions, see 262. Adverbs that Describe a Preposition.
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DEGREE ADVERBS WITH ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
Most of the adjectives and adverbs that degree adverbs are found with are “gradable” – indicative of a quality that can exist in different amounts. For example, happy is gradable because we can increase or decrease our happiness, but alive is not gradable because there are no greater or lesser amounts of life – if there is less we are no longer alive at all.
A complication is that the very concept of gradability is subjective, so that some apparently non-gradable adjectives and adverbs, such as able and certain, are sometimes used like gradable ones (a possible cause of misunderstanding: see 233. Structures with a Double Meaning 3, #3). Moreover, some adjectives that are definitely non-gradable are sometimes used with a degree adverb for dramatic effect, e.g. half dead.
Some degree adverbs can be fitted on a continuum from low to high strength; others cannot.
Continuum Adverbs
A special problem in choosing a continuum adverb for an adjective or adverb is that it depends on not just the strength to be expressed but also whether the adjective/adverb is in its base, comparative or superlative form: continuum adverbs usable with any of these forms are rare. The main possibilities are:
Typical Continuum Adverbs in Ascending Order of Strength
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Various observations can be made about this list.
1. Very Slightly
An alternative, particularly before comparatives and superlatives, is fractionally or the slightly informal just about. With superlatives, any use of the normally follows the degree adverb, e.g. fractionally the most difficult (for situations requiring the with superlatives, see the end of 82. Common Errors in Making Comparisons).
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2. Slightly
An alternative to this before both base and comparative adjectives / adverbs is (just) a little, e.g. (just) a little hard(er). A bit is also possible, but is informal (see 108. Formal and Informal Words). Before preposition-like adverbs, slightly and just are interchangeable (just/slightly above).
Marginally is usable with comparatives as well as superlatives. With a superlative, any use of the again follows it.
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3. Quite
The strength of this word is around 40%. Most English coursebooks, however, observe that it becomes 100% (= “completely”) before “non-gradable” adjectives / adverbs like certain(ly), complete(ly), correct(ly), perfect(ly) and the same. To express approximately 40% similarity, one should either say quite similar or roughly the same (see 231 Confusions of Similar Structures 3, #2).
The main alternatives to quite are fairly, moderately, rather, relatively, to a degree, up to a point and informal pretty. Moderately is common in data analyses (see 115. Surveying Numerical Data, #3). To a degree and up to a point tend to follow their partner word rather than go before (e.g. difficult to a degree). Up to a point is useful for showing partial agreement (see 152. Agreeing and Disagreeing in Formal Contexts, #2 “Agreeing”).
Coursebooks often say that fairly goes with positive-sounding words like freely and happy, rather with negative ones like ill (see 193. A Test of Formal Language Use, #25). Rather is even possible with nouns (see 313. Adverbs Linked Closely to a Noun, #1). These meanings make it possible to change the way a word sounds. Fairly easy, for instance, might positively describe something needing to be easy like finding employment, while rather easy might be a complaint about something needing to be difficult, such as fitness training.
With comparative adjectives and adverbs, alternatives to moderately are appreciably, relatively, somewhat, to a degree and (placed after) up to a point. A following up to a point can also replace to a degree with superlatives.
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4. Very
For detailed discussion of this word, see 98. “Very”, “Much” and “Very Much”. One common error particularly highlighted there is very much before base-form adjectives.
Very before base adjectives (not adverbs) is sometimes replaceable by greatly. Adjectives allowing this include ambitious, apparent, beneficial, important, responsible and unfair – excluded adjectives are usually short everyday ones like good, fast and high. Another very alternative, equally possible with base adjectives and adverbs, is informal really. In addition, well can accompany a few base adjectives (well aware) and various preposition-like adverbs (inside, outside, above etc: see 256. Unusual Meanings of Familiar Words, #2).
Very must become so before a later consequential that… (e.g. …is so clever that… – see 32. Expressing Consequences), and so is increasingly common even without one (…is so clever – see 156. Mentioning what the Reader Knows Already, #5). Note also only too (see 251. The Grammar of “Only”, #6).
With comparatives, possible “very” words include much (much better), far, considerably, greatly, substantially, informal a lot and ironic rather. With superlatives, the possibilities include much the (much the best), substantially the and the very.
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5. Extremely
This has numerous synonyms before base forms, but many are restricted to particular adjectives or adverbs, forming “collocations” (see 16. Ways of Distinguishing Similar Words, #5). Common examples are seriously ill, painfully aware, vitally important, fiercely loyal, bitterly opposed, woefully inadequate, heavily indebted, sharply critical, deeply sorry, hugely indebted, massively aware and highly contagious.
More widely usable with base forms are most (without the: see 82. Common Errors in Making Comparisons), terrifically (see 284. Words with a Surprising Meaning, #4) and the slightly informal ever so (see 272. Uses of “Ever”, #5).
With both comparatives and superlatives, a widely-usable alternative to very much is easily (e.g. easily higher/the highest). In addition, superlatives (always with the) can follow quite, by far and far and away (see 305. Wording next to Superlatives, #6). They can also precede by far (see 292. Synonym Pairs with Contrasting Grammar 2, #6).
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Other Degree Adverbs
One kind of degree adverb that does not fit easily into the above table shows not the overall strength of a following adjective or adverb, but strength in relation to something else. One group – more, less, (the) most and (the) least – forms comparative and superlative adjectives / adverbs. Related to these are doubly, equality-showing as and equally, and so or that meaning “as much as that” (see 153. Conjunction Uses of “that”).
As has or implies a second as – not an adverb, but a preposition with a subsequent noun. This noun names something that an earlier-mentioned noun matches in terms of the adjective or adverb meaning. Thus, in X is as high as Y, X matches Y in the quality expressed by high (see 149. Saying how Things are Similar).
Also notable are enough and sufficiently, which say the amount of an adjective or adverb quality has reached or passed a necessary minimum; and too, excessively and overly, which indicate undesirable excess (see also only too in 251. The Grammar of “Only”, #6). The following example of enough is from 189. Expressing Sufficiency:
(a) People were wealthy enough to own a car.
Enough is unusual in needing to follow its adjective (wealthy). Too, of course, goes before. Both (along with sufficiently) have or imply a following to verb of consequence (see 32. Expressing Consequences).
Another group of adverbs makes an adjective or adverb amount sound negative or insufficient. Examples are hardly, scarcely, pitifully, barely, little, half, partly and almost. Collocations are common, e.g. barely enough and little interested. Similar are expressions with percent, as in 6 percent full and 25% better (see 201. Words with Complicated Grammar 1, #2).
How before adjectives and adverbs (e.g. How far…?) enquires about a quantity without suggesting its size (see 285. Complexities of Question Words, #8).
Finally, there are exactness and completeness adverbs, especially exactly, just, absolutely, completely, fully, perfectly, quite (+ non-gradable adjective / adverb), right, totally, utterly and wholly. Some are quite collocational, e.g. perfectly possible, just ridiculous and totally inadequate. Right typically accompanies preposition-like adverbs such as above, through and alongside.
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DEGREE ADVERBS WITH VERBS
Many of the above adverbs can accompany a verb:
(b) Children thrive if they play enough.
Exceptions – more likely with adjectives and adverbs – include pretty, relatively, so, too and very. Quite and rather are similar, since only a few verbs combine with them, especially LIKE, PREFER and WANT (not quite, though, is much more widely usable, and quite meaning “completely” often accompanies [DIS]AGREE and OPPOSE). Note that easily, fairly, far and really used with verbs are not degree adverbs.
On the other hand, there are some adverbs that go more typically with verbs than adjectives/adverbs. Most seem to mean “very much” or “extremely”. They do not make up all of the verb-partnering adverbs with this meaning – utterly, for example goes equally well with verbs or adjectives. Like their adjective-partnering equivalents, they are very varied and form numerous collocations. Common collocations include fail miserably, wholeheartedly agree, heavily outnumber, bitterly complain, badly miss, hotly deny, fiercely oppose, widely differ and fervently hope.
Also notable is all but (= “almost completely”). Often the partner verb is in a past tense or passive voice. Typical examples are collapsed, finished, recovered and succeeded.
Adverbs may go before or after a verb. However, care is needed, when the verb has an object, not to place the adverb between the two – heavily, for example, should follow opponents in outnumber their opponents, not outnumber (see 120. Six Things to Know about Adverbs, #3). Note also that absolutely is usable only after some verbs – perhaps those with a “non-gradable” meaning like DISAGREE and DISAPPEAR. It would be unlikely, for example, after SUFFER or INCREASE.
Finally, care is needed not to confuse degree adverbs next to a verb with pronouns, since some words, such as enough, can be either. Pronoun uses occupy typical noun positions in a sentence like subject and object. In (b), enough is not the subject (= children) and not the object because play here has a meaning that does not need an object. Enough would become the object, and hence a pronoun, if the verb were do instead.
Other words that can combine with a verb as either a degree adverb or a pronoun include a bit, (a) little, less, least, a lot, much, very much, more and most. Note, though, that much is quite rare with a positive verb. For examples with a lot, see 193. A Test of Formal Language Use, #13.
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