Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree tell you to what extent something is true. They scale adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs up or down, giving your speech precision and emotional weight. Saying someone is sorry is one thing; saying they are very sorry or absolutely sorry communicates entirely different intensities.

The most important concept to grasp is the distinction between gradable and non-gradable adjectives, because each type demands a different class of degree adverb. Gradable adjectives (tired, happy, hot) exist on a spectrum—you can be a little tired, quite tired, or very tired. For these, use grading adverbs like a bit, quite, very, extremely. Non-gradable adjectives (freezing, boiling, impossible) represent absolute states—something is either freezing or it isn't. These pair with non-grading adverbs like absolutely, definitely, utterly. You can be absolutely freezing but not a bit freezing, and you can be very tired but not absolutely tired (unless you mean it figuratively).

A small group of adverbs—*really, fairly, pretty, quite—crosses this divide and works with both types: really tired (gradable) and really freezing (non-gradable). These are the swiss-army knives of degree adverbs and a safe choice when you're unsure which category an adjective belongs to.

One exception to the standard pre-position rule is *enough. While most degree adverbs come before the word they modify—very tired, absolutely certain—enough always comes after: good enough, fast enough, warm enough. This post-position is unique among degree adverbs and a common source of errors for learners.

Mastering degree adverbs means thinking in terms of compatibility. Before you add very or absolutely, ask yourself: is the adjective I'm modifying on a sliding scale or at an extreme pole? Match the adverb to the adjective type, and your English will sound far more natural and precise.