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TymBits

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity, extent, or level of an action, adjective, or another adverb. They answer questions like “how much?” or “to what extent?” These adverbs help us express the strength of our feelings, actions, and descriptions with more precision.

Position in Sentences

Adverbs of degree generally appear:

  1. Before the main verb:

    • She completely forgot about the meeting.
    • They hardly speak to each other.

  2. Before adjectives:

    • The test was extremely difficult.
    • I’m really happy about the news.

  3. Before other adverbs:

    • She runs very quickly.
    • He speaks quite softly.

Important Note

Some adverbs of degree like “enough” and “too” have special placement rules:

  • “Enough” comes after the word it modifies:
    • The soup is hot enough.
    • She runs fast enough.
  • “Too” comes before the word it modifies:
    • The coffee is too hot.
    • She speaks too quickly.

Common Adverbs of Degree

Absolute Degree

Words that express the maximum or complete degree:

  • Completely
  • Totally
  • Absolutely
  • Entirely
  • Perfectly
  • Utterly
Example

How was your first day at the new job?

Oh my goodness, it was intense! I was totally lost during the morning orientation, but my supervisor was absolutely amazing. She completely understood my confusion and helped me get perfectly organized by the end of the day.

High Degree

Words that express a high level or intensity:

  • Very
  • Really
  • Extremely
  • Highly
  • Thoroughly
  • Greatly
Example

How was the concert last night?

It was incredible! The band was really energetic, and the crowd was very enthusiastic. The lead singer was extremely talented, and we were thoroughly entertained. I greatly enjoyed every minute!

Moderate Degree

Words that express a medium or moderate level:

  • Quite
  • Rather
  • Fairly
  • Pretty
  • Somewhat
  • Moderately
Example

How’s your new apartment?

It’s quite nice, actually. The neighborhood is fairly quiet, and the rent is rather reasonable. The commute is somewhat long than before, but I’m pretty happy with the move overall.

Low Degree

Words that express a minimal or low level:

  • Slightly
  • Barely
  • Hardly
  • Partially
  • Somewhat
  • A little
Example

Did you hear about the changes at work?

Well, I’m slightly confused about the new system. The email was barely informative, and I hardly had time to review it. I only partially understand what’s happening, so I’m a little worried about next week.

Common Usage Patterns

With Adjectives

Adverbs of degree frequently modify adjectives to express different levels of intensity:

  • Very tired
  • Extremely happy
  • Fairly good
  • Slightly annoyed

With Other Adverbs

They can also modify other adverbs:

  • She sings very beautifully
  • He works quite efficiently
  • They played extremely well

With Verbs

When modifying verbs, they usually come before the main verb:

  • I completely understand
  • She hardly sleeps
  • They absolutely love the new restaurant

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the most appropriate adverb of degree from the box:

extremely    slightly    completely    fairly    very    hardly
  1. The movie was _____ interesting.
  2. I _____ remember what happened last night.
  3. The water is _____ cold today.
  4. She _____ agrees with your opinion.
  5. The test was _____ easy.
  6. I’m _____ tired after the long walk.
View answers for Exercise 1
  1. extremely (shows high intensity)
  2. hardly (shows minimal ability)
  3. very (shows high degree)
  4. completely (shows total agreement)
  5. fairly (shows moderate level)
  6. slightly (shows low level of tiredness)

Exercise 2: Correct Placement

Rewrite these sentences with the adverb of degree in the correct position:

  1. The soup hot enough is. (enough)
  2. She quick very runs. (very)
  3. The movie was boring too. (too)
  4. He speaks soft quite. (quite)
  5. The car expensive extremely is. (extremely)
View answers for Exercise 2
  1. The soup is hot enough.
  2. She runs very quickly.
  3. The movie was too boring.
  4. He speaks quite softly.
  5. The car is extremely expensive.

Exercise 3: Choose the Right Degree

Select the most appropriate adverb of degree based on context:

  1. After running the marathon, she was (slightly/completely) exhausted.
  2. The soup is (extremely/somewhat) cold and needs reheating.
  3. I (hardly/absolutely) agree with everything you said.
  4. The test was (fairly/totally) difficult, but I managed to pass.
  5. She (very/barely) remembered to lock the door.
View answers for Exercise 3
  1. completely (total exhaustion after a marathon)
  2. somewhat (moderate temperature)
  3. absolutely (complete agreement)
  4. fairly (moderate difficulty)
  5. barely (minimal remembrance)

Exercise 4: Identify the Error

Find and correct the errors in these sentences:

  1. This cake is enough sweet.
  2. She very loves chocolate.
  3. The music is too much loud.
  4. He works hardly enough.
  5. The weather is slight cold.
View answers for Exercise 4
  1. Correct: This cake is sweet enough. (“enough” follows the adjective)
  2. Correct: She loves chocolate very much. (“very” doesn’t modify verbs directly)
  3. Correct: The music is too loud. (“too” doesn’t need “much”)
  4. Correct: He hardly works enough. (or “He works hard enough” if meaning diligence)
  5. Correct: The weather is slightly cold. (use proper adverbial form)

Exercise 5: Combine and Complete

Create sentences using these combinations:

  1. extremely + careful
  2. quite + efficiently
  3. barely + remember
  4. very + quickly
  5. totally + different
View answers for Exercise 5

Example sentences:

  1. She was extremely careful while handling the delicate vase.
  2. The new system works quite efficiently.
  3. I barely remember what happened at the party.
  4. The cheetah ran very quickly across the savanna.
  5. The final result was totally different from what we expected.
Last updated on March 23, 2025
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