Are you wondering how cold the weather is today? Is your friend asking how spicy the food is? The answer makes all the difference! This is why being able to describe the intensity of something is so essential. But don’t worry, we have adverbs of degree to help us.

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What are adverbs of degree and where do they go in a sentence?

Adverbs of degree are words that describe the intensity or limitations of verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs. They typically appear before the word or words they modify. For example:

ADVERB OF DEGREE EXAMPLE ADVERB MODIFIES
only Sam only reads fiction. the verb (read)
a little The water is a little hot. the adjective (hot)
incredibly They talk incredibly quickly. the adverb of manner (quickly)

Note that not all adjectives can be modified by an adverb of degree in English. Some adjectives, like enormous or finished, are non-gradable, meaning their intensity cannot be changed. This is either because the intensity is already built into the meaning of the adjective, or because it describes an absolute state that is either true or false.

What are the different categories of adverbs of degree?

There are three types of adverbs of degree: intensifying adverbs, diminishing adverbs, and limiting adverbs. They differ in how they change another word’s degree.

Intensifying adverbs

Intensifying adverbs are used to strengthen or emphasize the verb, adjective, or adverb they modify. Some common ones are:

INTENSIFYING ADVERB EXAMPLE
absolutely Your dress is absolutely gorgeous!
extremely It is extremely hot today.
highly The server highly recommends the steak.
incredibly Eddy is incredibly strong.
quite That movie is quite funny.
really She asked a really interesting question.
so We’re so hungry!
very The kids are very tired.

Diminishing adverbs

Diminishing adverbs are used to lessen the intensity of the verb, adjective, or adverb they modify. Frequently used ones include:

DIMINISHING ADVERB EXAMPLE
a little I’m a little tired.
barely We barely have any snacks.
hardly You hardly spoke.
kind of They’re kind of confused.
slightly These pants are slightly bigger.
somewhat This bread is somewhat stale.
vaguely I vaguely remember that day.

The diminishing adverb kind of is often used in informal English. In very informal settings (like speaking with or texting a friend), it is sometimes shortened to kinda. However, be careful with kind of (and especially kinda) as it is typically avoided in more formal language.

Limiting adverbs

Limiting adverbs are used to restrict the extent of the verb, adjective, or adverb they modify. Some commonly used ones are:

LIMITING ADVERB EXAMPLE
just He just bought a book.
merely We merely want an answer.
nearly You nearly hit that car!
only Does he only eat pasta?
precisely I read precisely 27 books this year.
solely You are solely responsible.

You’re really good with adverbs of degree!

It might seem like there are a lot of adverbs of degree to learn, but you merely need some practice, and in no time, you'll be doing absolutely wonderfully!