What Are Adverbs of Degree?
Adverbs of degree are words that tell us how much, to what extent, or to what intensity something happens. They modify adjectives, other adverbs, and sometimes verbs to express varying levels of intensity — from the weakest degree to the strongest. Without adverbs of degree, our sentences would lack nuance and precision. Imagine saying "The weather is cold" when you actually mean "The weather is extremely cold" or "The weather is slightly cold." The difference is enormous, and adverbs of degree are the tools that allow us to communicate these subtle but important distinctions.
Adverbs of degree answer the question "How much?" or "To what extent?" They are placed directly before the adjective, adverb, or verb they modify. Some of the most common adverbs of degree include very, extremely, quite, rather, fairly, too, enough, almost, nearly, absolutely, completely, totally, highly, slightly, a bit, hardly, barely, and scarcely.
Adverb of Degree + Adjective / Adverb
Adverbs of degree are usually placed before the word they modify. The only exception is enough, which comes after the adjective or adverb it modifies.
Think of adverbs of degree as a volume dial on a stereo. They turn the meaning of an adjective or adverb up or down. Very turns it up. Slightly turns it down. Completely turns it to the maximum. Hardly turns it almost to zero.
When Do We Use Them?
Adverbs of degree serve many purposes in English. We use them whenever we need to express the intensity, extent, or measure of a quality or action. Here are the main situations where adverbs of degree are essential:
| Purpose | Adverbs Used | Example |
|---|---|---|
| To strengthen meaning | very, extremely, really, incredibly | The film was extremely entertaining. |
| To weaken meaning | slightly, a bit, a little, somewhat | I feel slightly nervous about the exam. |
| To show completeness | completely, totally, absolutely, entirely | The house was completely destroyed by the fire. |
| To show excess | too | This coffee is too hot to drink. |
| To show sufficiency | enough | She is old enough to drive a car. |
| To show nearness to a limit | almost, nearly | We have almost finished the project. |
| To show insufficiency | hardly, barely, scarcely | He could barely keep his eyes open. |
| To show moderate degree | quite, rather, fairly, pretty | The restaurant was quite good for the price. |
| To show high degree | highly, deeply, greatly | We are deeply grateful for your help. |
| To modify verbs | really, totally, almost, nearly | I really enjoy spending time with my family. |
Do not confuse adverbs of degree with adverbs of frequency. Adverbs of degree answer "How much?" while adverbs of frequency answer "How often?"
✘ I very go to the cinema. (degree adverb misused as frequency)
✔ I really enjoy going to the cinema. (degree adverb modifying the verb)
Very, Extremely, Really — Intensifiers
Intensifiers are adverbs of degree that strengthen the meaning of the adjective or adverb they modify. They push the meaning higher on the scale without changing it completely. The most common intensifiers in English are very, extremely, really, incredibly, and terribly.
Subject + be / verb + very / extremely / really + adjective / adverb
Intensifiers come directly before the adjective or adverb they modify. They are used with gradable adjectives — adjectives that can have different levels (e.g., hot, cold, big, small, good, bad).
| Intensifier | Strength | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Very | Strong | The concert was very loud. |
| Extremely | Very strong | The weather in London is extremely unpredictable. |
| Really | Strong (informal) | She speaks really quickly in class. |
| Incredibly | Very strong | The view from the mountain was incredibly beautiful. |
| Terribly | Strong (formal) | I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. |
| Deeply | Strong (emotions) | We were deeply moved by his speech. |
| Highly | Strong (formal) | This book is highly recommended by teachers. |
| Remarkably | Very strong | She performed remarkably well under pressure. |
Do not use very with non-gradable (extreme) adjectives. Use absolutely or completely instead:
✘ The show was very fantastic.
✔ The show was absolutely fantastic.
✘ I am very exhausted after the marathon.
✔ I am completely exhausted after the marathon.
Very is more neutral and works in all contexts. Really is slightly more informal and is preferred in spoken English. In formal writing, choose very, extremely, or highly. In casual conversation, really sounds more natural: "That was really kind of you."
Quite, Rather, Fairly — Moderate Degree
These adverbs express a moderate or medium level of intensity. They tell us that something is more than "a little" but less than "very." However, each one carries a slightly different tone and is used in different contexts. Understanding the differences between quite, rather, fairly, and pretty is important for sounding natural in English.
Subject + be / verb + quite / rather / fairly / pretty + adjective / adverb
These moderate degree adverbs come before the adjective or adverb. Their meaning shifts subtly depending on context and speaker attitude.
| Adverb | Meaning & Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Quite | Moderate; can mean "fairly" or "completely" depending on context | The hotel room was quite comfortable. |
| Quite (+ non-gradable) | Means "completely" or "absolutely" | You are quite right about that. |
| Rather | Moderate to strong; often implies surprise or mild criticism | The exam was rather difficult, to be honest. |
| Rather (positive surprise) | Pleasantly surprised by something | The food at that small cafe was rather delicious. |
| Fairly | Moderate; weaker than "quite"; neutral tone | The instructions are fairly easy to follow. |
| Pretty | Moderate to strong; informal; similar to "quite" | I'm pretty sure the meeting is at three o'clock. |
| Somewhat | Moderate; formal; weaker than "quite" | The results were somewhat disappointing. |
| Reasonably | Moderate; formal; suggests acceptable level | The hotel was reasonably priced for central Paris. |
From weakest to strongest among the moderate adverbs:
fairly < quite < rather < pretty
For example: "The test was fairly hard" (not so bad) vs. "The test was rather hard" (harder than expected).
Quite changes meaning depending on the type of adjective:
With gradable adjectives: "quite" = fairly, moderately
"The book is quite interesting." (= fairly interesting)
With non-gradable adjectives: "quite" = completely, absolutely
"That answer is quite impossible." (= absolutely impossible)
Rather often carries a tone of surprise or mild criticism. Compare:
"The movie was quite good." (neutral, positive)
"The movie was rather good." (I did not expect it to be good, but it was)
Use rather carefully — it can sound slightly negative in some contexts.
Too and Enough
Too and enough are two of the most important adverbs of degree in English. They have very specific meanings and follow strict grammar rules. Too means "more than necessary" or "more than is good" and always carries a negative implication. Enough means "as much as is needed" or "sufficient" and can be either positive or negative depending on context.
too + adjective / adverb (+ to infinitive)
adjective / adverb + enough (+ to infinitive)
too + adjective / adverb + for + someone + to infinitive
enough + noun
Too comes BEFORE the adjective or adverb. Enough comes AFTER the adjective or adverb but BEFORE a noun.
| Structure | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| too + adjective | This bag is too heavy. | It is heavier than I can carry. |
| too + adj. + to inf. | She is too young to drive. | She is not old enough; the law does not allow it. |
| too + adj. + for + person | The music is too loud for the baby to sleep. | The baby cannot sleep because of the volume. |
| too + adverb | He drives too fast on the motorway. | His speed is more than safe or acceptable. |
| adj. + enough | He is tall enough to reach the shelf. | His height is sufficient for this task. |
| adj. + enough + to inf. | She is confident enough to speak in public. | She has sufficient confidence for speaking. |
| adverb + enough | You are not running fast enough to win. | Your speed is not sufficient for winning. |
| enough + noun | We do not have enough time to finish. | The amount of time is not sufficient. |
| enough + noun | There are enough chairs for everyone. | The number of chairs is sufficient. |
| too + much + noun | He puts too much sugar in his tea. | The amount of sugar is excessive. |
Do not confuse too with very. "Too" always implies a negative result — something is excessive and causes a problem. "Very" simply intensifies without negativity.
"She is very tall." (neutral description — no problem)
"She is too tall for this ride." (negative — there is a problem)
✘ The weather is too nice today. (wrong — "too" implies a problem)
✔ The weather is very nice today. (correct — positive meaning)
Enough comes AFTER adjectives and adverbs, but BEFORE nouns:
✘ She is enough old to vote.
✔ She is old enough to vote.
✘ We have money enough for the trip.
✔ We have enough money for the trip.
You can often express the same idea using either too or not ... enough:
"He is too short to play basketball." = "He is not tall enough to play basketball."
"The water is too cold to swim in." = "The water is not warm enough to swim in."
Almost, Nearly, Barely, Hardly — Near Limits
These adverbs describe situations that are very close to a limit — either approaching it from below or barely reaching it. Almost and nearly mean "very close to but not quite." Barely, hardly, and scarcely mean "almost not" or "only just." They are essential for expressing precision in English.
almost / nearly = very close to (but not yet)
barely / hardly / scarcely = almost not (just enough)
Almost and nearly approach the maximum from below. Barely, hardly, and scarcely hover just above zero. Think of them as opposite ends of the nearness scale.
| Adverb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Almost | Very close to; not quite | I have almost finished reading the novel. |
| Nearly | Very close to; not quite (same as almost) | We have nearly arrived at the station. |
| Barely | Only just; almost not | She barely passed the exam with 51 per cent. |
| Hardly | Almost not; very little | I could hardly hear him over the noise. |
| Scarcely | Almost not; barely (more formal) | He had scarcely left the building when it started raining. |
| Almost (+ number) | Close to a number or amount | Almost 200 people attended the conference. |
| Nearly (+ time) | Close to a time | It is nearly midnight. We should go home. |
| Hardly any | Very few; almost none | There are hardly any tickets left for the concert. |
| Barely enough | Just sufficient; almost not enough | We had barely enough fuel to reach the next town. |
| Hardly ever | Almost never (frequency use) | She hardly ever watches television at night. |
Do not confuse hardly (= almost not) with hard (= with great effort or force). They have completely different meanings:
"She works hard." (= She puts in a lot of effort.)
"She hardly works." (= She does almost no work.)
These two sentences mean the opposite of each other!
Hardly, barely, and scarcely already carry a negative meaning. Do not add another negative word:
✘ I can't hardly wait for the holiday.
✔ I can hardly wait for the holiday.
✘ There isn't barely any milk left.
✔ There is barely any milk left.
Almost and nearly are interchangeable in most sentences. However, almost is more common in everyday English, especially before negative words: "almost never", "almost nobody", "almost nothing." We do not usually say "nearly never" or "nearly nobody."
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. Adverbs of degree are the fine tuning of the English language.
— The Grammar GazetteExample Sentences
Degree Adverbs with Gradable vs. Non-Gradable Adjectives
One of the most important rules about adverbs of degree is that different degree adverbs work with different types of adjectives. In English, adjectives are divided into two main categories: gradable (or "normal") adjectives and non-gradable (or "extreme/absolute") adjectives. Using the wrong adverb with the wrong type of adjective is one of the most common mistakes learners make.
Gradable adjectives describe qualities that can exist in varying degrees — you can be a little cold, quite cold, very cold, or extremely cold. Non-gradable adjectives describe qualities that are already at an extreme or absolute level — something is either "freezing" or it is not; there is no middle ground.
very / extremely / really + gradable adjective
absolutely / completely / totally + non-gradable adjective
Use very, extremely, really, quite, fairly, rather with gradable adjectives. Use absolutely, completely, totally, utterly with non-gradable adjectives. Really is the exception — it works with both types.
| Gradable Adjective | Non-Gradable Equivalent | Correct Adverb Pairing |
|---|---|---|
| hot | boiling | very hot / absolutely boiling |
| cold | freezing | extremely cold / absolutely freezing |
| tired | exhausted | very tired / completely exhausted |
| hungry | starving | really hungry / absolutely starving |
| big | enormous / huge | very big / absolutely enormous |
| small | tiny | fairly small / absolutely tiny |
| good | excellent / perfect / wonderful | extremely good / absolutely excellent |
| bad | terrible / awful / dreadful | rather bad / absolutely terrible |
| frightened | terrified | very frightened / absolutely terrified |
| surprised | astonished / amazed | quite surprised / completely astonished |
| important | essential / vital | extremely important / absolutely essential |
| certain | sure / positive | fairly certain / absolutely sure |
Do not mix the wrong adverb with the wrong adjective type:
✘ It is very freezing outside.
✔ It is absolutely freezing outside.
✘ The concert was absolutely good.
✔ The concert was absolutely brilliant.
✘ I am completely tired.
✔ I am completely exhausted.
Really is the only common adverb of degree that works correctly with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives:
"The cake is really good." (gradable — correct)
"The cake is really delicious." (non-gradable — also correct)
When in doubt, really is almost always a safe choice.
Remember that quite changes meaning depending on the adjective type:
With gradable: quite good = "fairly good, moderately good"
With non-gradable: quite amazing = "completely, absolutely amazing"
This is a subtle but important difference that can cause confusion.
Common Mistakes with Degree Adverbs
Even advanced learners make mistakes with adverbs of degree. Here are the most frequent errors and how to avoid them:
| Mistake Type | ✘ Incorrect | ✔ Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Very + non-gradable | The food was very delicious. | The food was absolutely delicious. |
| Too = very | The weather is too beautiful today. | The weather is very beautiful today. |
| Enough position | He is enough tall to reach it. | He is tall enough to reach it. |
| Double negative | I can't barely see anything. | I can barely see anything. |
| Hard vs. hardly | She hardly studies. (meaning: She studies a lot.) | She studies hard. (= She studies a lot.) |
| Very + verb | I very like chocolate. | I really like chocolate. |
| Absolutely + gradable | She is absolutely tall. | She is very tall. / She is absolutely enormous. |
| Enough + adjective order | We have chairs enough for everyone. | We have enough chairs for everyone. |
| Fairly vs. rather (tone) | The party was rather enjoyable. (implies surprise) | The party was fairly enjoyable. (neutral, no surprise) |
| Pretty in formal writing | The results were pretty interesting. (too informal) | The results were quite interesting. (formal) |
Very cannot be used directly before a verb. Use really, truly, or greatly instead:
✘ I very enjoy travelling.
✔ I really enjoy travelling.
✘ She very likes her new school.
✔ She really likes her new school.
When too modifies a noun, you need too much (uncountable) or too many (countable):
✘ There is too people in the room.
✔ There are too many people in the room.
✘ He drinks too many coffee.
✔ He drinks too much coffee.
Before using an adverb of degree, ask yourself three questions:
1. Is this adjective gradable or non-gradable?
2. Does the adverb go before or after the word it modifies?
3. Am I expressing a negative result (too) or just intensity (very)?
Answering these three questions will help you choose the right adverb every time.
Degree Adverbs Comparison Chart
Here is a complete overview of all the adverbs of degree covered in this article, organised by their position on the intensity scale from lowest to highest:
| Degree Level | Adverbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Almost zero | hardly, barely, scarcely | He could hardly breathe at that altitude. |
| Very low | slightly, a bit, a little | The soup is slightly too salty for my taste. |
| Low to moderate | somewhat, fairly | The new policy is somewhat controversial. |
| Moderate | quite, rather, pretty | The lecture was quite informative overall. |
| Approaching full | almost, nearly | The stadium was almost full for the final match. |
| High | very, really, highly | She is very talented at playing the guitar. |
| Very high | extremely, incredibly, remarkably | The sunset over the ocean was incredibly beautiful. |
| Maximum / Absolute | completely, totally, absolutely, utterly | The audience was completely silent during the performance. |
| Excessive (negative) | too, far too, way too | The instructions are far too complicated to follow. |
| Sufficient | enough | She is brave enough to stand up for what she believes. |
Now let us see a quick-reference table showing which adverbs work with gradable and non-gradable adjectives:
| Adverb of Degree | With Gradable Adjectives | With Non-Gradable Adjectives |
|---|---|---|
| Very | ✔ very hot | ✘ very boiling |
| Extremely | ✔ extremely cold | ✘ extremely freezing |
| Really | ✔ really good | ✔ really amazing |
| Quite | ✔ quite nice (= fairly) | ✔ quite perfect (= completely) |
| Rather | ✔ rather difficult | ✘ rather impossible |
| Fairly | ✔ fairly easy | ✘ fairly excellent |
| Absolutely | ✘ absolutely big | ✔ absolutely huge |
| Completely | ✘ completely tired | ✔ completely exhausted |
| Totally | ✘ totally happy | ✔ totally thrilled |
| Utterly | ✘ utterly sad | ✔ utterly devastated |
Adverbs of degree are essential tools for expressing how much, to what extent, or to what intensity something happens. The key rules to remember are:
1. Use very, extremely, really with gradable adjectives.
2. Use absolutely, completely, totally with non-gradable adjectives.
3. Too always implies a negative result; very does not.
4. Enough comes after adjectives but before nouns.
5. Hardly, barely, scarcely mean "almost not" and must not be used with other negatives.
6. Really is the universal adverb that works with both types of adjectives.
Pay special attention to these three pairs that learners often confuse:
Hard (with effort) vs. Hardly (almost not)
Too (excessive, negative) vs. Very (high degree, neutral)
Quite + gradable (fairly) vs. Quite + non-gradable (completely)
Mastering these distinctions will make your English sound natural and precise.