What are Adverbs of Degree?
Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity or strength of something. They answer the question "How much?" or "To what extent?".
Most adverbs of degree go before the adjective or adverb they modify.
The water is very cold.
He drives extremely fast.
I’m a bit tired.
Strength Levels
We can group these adverbs by how much "power" they give to a word.
| Strength | Adverbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | extremely, incredibly, totally | The exam was extremely difficult. |
| Medium | very, really, quite | She is really talented. |
| Weak | fairly, a bit, slightly, a little | The room is fairly big. |
Modifying Adjectives and Adverbs
Adverbs of degree don't just work with adjectives (describing words); they also work with other adverbs (words describing actions).
1. Modifying Adjectives
It’s a really beautiful house.
I am slightly confused by the map.
2. Modifying Adverbs
He speaks English quite well.
She finished the work incredibly quickly.
Too and Enough
These two words are special because they imply a limit.
Too (More than enough / A problem)
Too goes before the adjective/adverb. It usually suggests a negative result.
This coffee is too hot (I can't drink it).
You are driving too fast (It is dangerous).
Enough (The right amount / Sufficient)
Enough goes after the adjective/adverb.
Is your room warm enough?
He didn't run fast enough to win.
Quite, Fairly, and Rather
These three are often confused. They sit in the "middle" of the strength scale.
- Fairly: Is the weakest. It's "okay" but not "very."
- The film was fairly good (but not great).
- Quite: Is stronger than fairly. In British English, it can sometimes mean "completely."
- I’m quite tired (I need a rest).
- Rather: Is often used for negative ideas or surprising positive ones.
- The weather was rather bad.
- The food was rather good! (I didn't expect it to be).
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
| ✗ Incorrect | ✓ Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The tea is enough hot. | The tea is hot enough. | Enough goes after the adjective. |
| I am too happy today! | I am very happy today! | Too usually means "more than I want" (negative). |
| He works very hardly. | He works very hard. | Hardly means "almost not." |
| It's a very extremely cold day. | It's an extremely cold day. | Don't double up strong adverbs. |
Real-World Examples
At a restaurant:
"How is your steak?" "It's really good, but the sauce is a bit salty."
Talking about weather:
It was incredibly windy yesterday. I was quite scared to go outside.
At work:
You're doing fairly well, but you need to work slightly faster to finish on time.
Summary
| Goal | Adverb to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| High intensity | extremely, incredibly | It's extremely hot. |
| Average intensity | very, really | I'm really busy. |
| Low intensity | a bit, slightly | I'm a bit hungry. |
| Negative excess | too | It's too expensive. |
| Sufficiency | enough | Is it big enough? |
💡 The key question: Am I saying something is "a little," "a lot," or "more than I can handle"?