An adverb of degree shows how much or to what extent something happens. It answers the question how much? and modifies adjectives, other adverbs, or sometimes verbs.
Without these adverbs, every description would be binary — something is either cold or not cold, fast or not fast. Degree adverbs let you place things on a scale.
The intensity scale
Degree adverbs range from the strongest to the weakest. Knowing where each one sits on the scale prevents overstatement and understatement.
| INTENSITY | ADVERBS |
|---|---|
| very strong | extremely, incredibly |
| strong | very, really |
| moderate | quite, rather, fairly, pretty |
| weak | a bit, a little, slightly |
| near-zero | hardly, barely, scarcely |
A sentence like the coffee is fairly hot tells the listener something very different from the coffee is extremely hot. The choice of degree adverb carries most of the meaning.
With adjectives
The most common job for a degree adverb is to modify an adjective. The adverb goes before the adjective.
This pattern works with almost any gradable adjective — big, cold, interesting, tired, important and hundreds of others.
With other adverbs
Degree adverbs can modify manner adverbs too. The degree adverb still comes before the word it modifies.
The structure is the same as with adjectives — degree adverb first, then the adverb it strengthens or weakens.
With verbs
A smaller group of degree adverbs can modify verbs directly. These include really, completely, almost, nearly, totally, absolutely, barely, hardly.
When they modify a verb, these adverbs usually go between the subject and the main verb, or after the auxiliary.
Quite, rather, fairly, pretty
These four sit in the moderate zone of the scale, but each has its own shade of meaning. Learners often treat them as interchangeable — they are not.
Quite signals a moderately positive degree. The film was quite good is a genuine compliment, though not the strongest one.
Rather carries a note of surprise or unexpectedness. The test was rather easy suggests the speaker expected it to be harder. In formal writing, rather often hints that something exceeded expectations.
Fairly is the most neutral of the four, but it tends to sound underwhelming. Her presentation was fairly interesting is noticeably weaker than quite interesting — it means "acceptable, but not impressive."
Pretty works the same way as quite but belongs to informal speech and writing. The hotel was pretty comfortable is natural in conversation but too casual for a business report.
A rough ranking from weakest to strongest:
Pretty slots in next to quite but stays informal.
Enough as a degree adverb
Most degree adverbs go before the word they modify. Enough is an exception — it goes after the adjective or adverb.
This reversed position is one of the most frequent mistakes with degree adverbs. The patterns enough + to-infinitive and too + adjective + to-infinitive are covered separately.
Hardly, barely, scarcely
These three adverbs sit at the bottom of the intensity scale. They mean "almost not" and function as near-negatives.
Because they already carry a negative meaning, they do not need not. Saying I can't hardly hear you is a double negative and incorrect in standard English.
Hardly is the most common of the three in everyday speech. Barely emphasizes how close something came to not happening. Scarcely is more formal and appears mostly in written English.
Position in the sentence
The general placement rules are straightforward.
Before an adjective or adverb — the standard position for most degree adverbs.
Between the subject and the main verb — when modifying a verb.
After the verb be — degree adverbs follow be rather than sitting before it.
After the adjective or adverb — only enough uses this position.
Common mistakes
Word order with enough
Double negative with hardly/barely
Very with verbs
Fairly vs. quite confusion
Missing degree adverb, leaving a flat statement