2. We use degree adverbials to explain to what
degree.
You’re absolutely right.
The bridge is extremely unsafe.
DEGREE ADVERBIALS
We are all working pretty hard.
Notice that we usually use degree adverbials before an
adjective or adverb.
3. Some degree adverbials make a statement
stronger.
absolutely
completely
considerably
entirely
extremely
highly
incredibly
much
perfectly
pretty
quite
rather
really
reasonably
significantly
so
terribly
totally
truly
very
You look really familiar.
It’s rather late to go out, don’t
you think?
DEGREE ADVERBIALS
4. A few degree adverbials show an approximation.
You almost hit that car.
I think it’s about 50 years old.
about almost approximately nearly
DEGREE ADVERBIALS
5. Some other degree adverbials can make a
statement weaker.
I’m fairly certain about this.
Be careful. The floor is slightly wet.
DEGREE ADVERBIALS
a (little) bit
fairly
less
slightly to an extent
somewhat
7. Sometimes we want to focus attention on one
word or phrase in a sentence. When we use
adverbials to do this, we call them focusing
adverbials.
A: Can I help you?
B: No, I’m just looking.
FOCUSING ADVERBIALS
especially even just only particularly
Adverbials used in this way include:
8. Focusing adverbials include:
FOCUSING ADVERBIALS
Smoking increases the risk of many diseases, especially
heart disease and cancer.
Football is known as soccer only in North America.
especially even just only particularly
9. Focusing adverbials usually come immediately
before the words they describe.
Some people can communicate
complicated ideas in only a few words.
Some people can only communicate
complicated ideas in a few words.
Only some people can communicate
complicated ideas in a few words.
FOCUSING ADVERBIALS
Changing the position of these adverbials can
change the meaning of the sentence.
