Words Expressing Degrees Of Intensity-degree Adverb Uses 6g1r15

Degree Adverb Uses MODIFIYING A VERB MODIFIYING AN ADVERB MODIFIYING AN ADJECTIVE Modifies the intensity of the action telling us 'how much'. Modifies the intensity of the adverb. Modifies quality or character. He talks excessively all the time.

He talks extremely fast.

He is extremely talkative.

He rather loves his audiences.

He communicates rather well.

He is rather attractive.

He hardly stops to breathe.

He reasons very quickly.

His ratings are very high.

Logic suggests not using degree modifiers with absolute words; for example, "He's rather dead." Test this by using rather before: absolute, entirely, eternal, fatal, final, finite, identical, immortal, infinite, mortal, opposite, perfect, right, straight, opposite, or unique. DEGREE A degree adverb may have a secondary meaning. He was especially good at debating espeecially – particularly, extremely I'm terribly sorry. terribly – very, very He was suspiciously quiet. suspiciously – unusually He is easily the best speaker. easily – clearly He communicates fairly fluently. fairly – adequately, sufficiently He was well recommended to us. well – highly, top level

Degree Adverbs—intensity vs. completeness

INTENSITY Some degree adverbs indicate intensity from very much to very little (or none). He is extremely excited about his work. He is somewhat excited about his work. He is hardly excited about his work. COMPLETENESS Some degree adverbs indicate completeness—from very complete to partially complete. He is completely done with his work. He is almost done with his work. He is partly done with his work.

Degree Adverbs—other meanings & expressions UNIQUE MEANINGS Some degree adverbs take on new meanings, different from their meanings when used as adjectives. He is wonderfully excited about his work. creatively We are deeply saddened to hear about his death. profoundly The house is easily accessible. without difficulty He is highly regarded. top level It is virtually trouble-free. practically He's awfully mad. very EXPRESSIONS Other degree adverbs are used in expressions. (These are learned over time.)

He is plain / dead wrong. completely "dead right" but not "plain right" You are mighty kind. extremely (nice, tall, smart, pleased – positive) He is damn rude. extremely (very informal) It's downright unfair. completely, totally He's real / really / pretty smart. very He's a jolly good fellow. / He'll jolly well do. very

Degree adverbs -a partial list egree Adverbs with -ly Suffix absolutely very amazingly surprisingly awfully very barely negative completely totally, all parts considerably dreadfully very easily clearly, without difficulties enormously entirely especially ¹ exceedingly excessively extensively very extremely very fairly fantastically fully greatly hardly not much highly very hugely immensely incredibly very infinitely extremely intensely very largely ¹ mostly literally ² moderately nearly noticeably particularly ¹ partly perfectly completely positively practically almost; nearly profoundly purely really reasonably acceptably relatively remarkably seriously alarming degree simply slightly strikingly strongly surely sufficiently supremely suprisingly unexpected degree suspiciously terribly very totally tremendously very truly unbelievably

utterly

virtually ¹

wonderfully

¹ is also a focusing adverb. ² literally (1) the primary or strict meaning of a word; (2) word for word; (3) without exaggeration, actually; (4) in effect, very nearly; virtually

Degree adverbs without -ly suffix about almost however indeed least less most not so somewhat very very much as… as too… to... (Huddleston 583–4)

altogether downright jolly just mighty more quite rather still too way far well so…that enough

Adverbs for Degree Modifying a Verb

Placement BEFORE THE VERB Place the degree adverb before the verb.

BETWEEN AUXILIARY AND MAIN VERB This usual placement is after the auxiliary verbs and before the main verb.

AFTER THE VERB Longer expression tend to be placed after the verb.

He totally loves giving speeches. He will totally love giving speeches. adverb aux - adverb - verb object verb object

He loves giving speeches very much. verb object adverb

He loves giving speeches.

He loves giving speeches .

He will love giving a speech.

Word Use for "Degree" SENTENCE He ____ loves public speaking. verb

DEGREE VERY, VERY MUCH VERY MUCH

SYNONYMS absolutely, completely, enormously, excessively, fully, greatly, highly, hugely, immensely, infinitely intensely, profoundly, totally, tremendously, utterly moderately, noticeably, positively, really, simply , truly, very much

NOT MUCH

hardly, barely, not (doesn't)

Word Use for "Completeness" SENTENCE DEGREE SYNONYMS We ____ agree. verb COMPLETELY completely, strongly, perfectly, totally, entirely, largely, positively, simply, for the most part PARTLY almost, nearly, partly, kind of, somewhat, hardly, NOT

hardly, barely, not (don't)

Adverbs for Degree Modifying an Adverb

Placement — Modifying Adverbs BEFORE THE ADVERB Place the adverb before the adverb.

The politician speaks rather persuasively.

BEFORE AND AFTER Place longer expressions after the adverb. See so, too, enough below. This politician speaks as persuasively as Churchill. (unequal comparison) This politician speaks so persuasively that everyone follows him.

persuasively (adv.) – in a manner that makes other people believe something or do what you ask

*This politician speaks too persuasively to believe. This politician speaks persuasively enough to believe.

Excessive: (1) we don't believe him, or (2) there is no one like him before; unprecedented

Word Use for "Degree" SENTENCE The man speaks persuasively.

adverb

DEGREE SYNONYMS EXCESSIVELY awfully, dreadfully, exceedingly, incredibly, terribly, too, excessively extremely, really, remarkably, surprisingly, truly, downright, mighty, quite, VERY rather, so, very, wonderfully SOMEWHAT moderately, relatively, simply, somewhat NOT VERY fairly, slightly, un (not)

Negatives INTENSIVE ADVERB Gives a compliment.

NEGATIVE VERB Suggests a problem.

NEGATIVE ADVERB Notes a problem.

He speaks very well. He doesn't speak very well. He speaks badly. They work very well together. They don't work very well together. They work poorly together.

Adverbs for Degree Modifying Adjectives

Placement – Modifying Adjectives

BEFORE BEFORE AND AFTER Place the adverb before the adjective. Place longer expressions after the adjective. See so, too, enough below. His speech was as amazing as Churchill's. (comparison) His speech was so amazing that everyone cheered. The speech was absolutely amazing. His speech was too fantastic to believe. His speech was moderate enough to believe.

Word Use for "Degree" — How much? SENTENCE The design is complex. adjective

DEGREE

SYNONYMS awfully, dreadfully, enormously, exceedingly, extremely, incredibly, terribly, EXTREMELY tremendously, too, excessively amazingly, really, remarkably, surprisingly, truly, downright, mighty, quite, rather, VERY so, very, wonderfully SOMEWHAT moderately, relatively, simply, somewhat, sufficiently NOT VERY

barely, fairly, slightly, un (not), hardly

Word Use for "Completeness"— How complete? SENTENCE DEGREE SYNONYMS The work is done. adjective COMPLETELY completely, thoroughly, practically, almost, nearly PARTLY partly, partially, kind of, about, somewhat, relatively,

NOT

hardly, barely, not (un)

An Ambiguous Modifier Placement AMBIGUOUS MODIFIER (UNCLEAR) Sometimes a modifier can modify one of two words, but its not clear which one. He believes absolutely everything you tell him. Which word does absolutely modify? The modifier could modify word before or after it. The meaning changes only slightly.

POSSIBLE MEANINGS In one interpretation it could modify the verb. In another it could modify the object. If context does not clarify the meaning, then re-order the words.

1) He absolutely believes everything you tell him. (v.)

absolutely modifies believes

2) He believes absolutely everything you tell him. absolutely modifies everything (adj-det.)

ambiguous (adj) – something that is unclear, confusing, or not certain, especially because it can be understood in more than one way

Special Adverbs So/Very, Too, Enough

Using too, very and enough SO / VERY

TOO ENOUGH Intensive Excessive (negative - a problem) Adequate (positive - no problem) He speaks so / very slowly. (adv) He speaks too slowly. (adv) not good! He speaks slowly enough. (adv) good! He is careful enough. (adj) good! He is so / very careful .(adj) He is too careful. (adj) not good!

Expressions SO…THAT So may include a that clause placed after the adjective or adverb. He speaks so fast that I can't understand him. (adv) He is so interesting that we love to listen to him. (adv)

TOO…TO Too may include a for or to clause that is placed after the adjective or adverb. He speaks too fast for me to understand. He speaks too fast to understand.

ENOUGH…TO Enough may include a for or to clause that is placed after the adjective or adverb. He speaks slowly enough for me to understand. (adv) He is smart enough to do the job. (adj)

Negatives NOT SO / VERY NOT TOO NOT ENOUGH He doesn't work very hard. (problem) He doesn't work too hard. (no problem) He doesn't work hard enough. (problem) He isn't too smart. (maybe a problem) He isn't so smart. (a problem) He isn't smart enough. (a problem)

Common Mistakes Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution ERROR *He earns too much money. How can money (a good thing) be excessive? *She is too beautiful. (negative meaning) How can beauty (a good thing) be excessive? ~When he returned my lost iphone to me, I literally could have kissed his feet. This is an additional meaning of "literally". Pop-Q "Literally"

*She's a rather unique singer. *He's rather dead. Pop-Q "Rather Unique" SOLUTION He earns so much money. He earns too much money to pay middle-class tax rates. Qualify how the money (a good thing) can be excessive. She is so beautiful. She is too beautiful for words. She is beautiful. Qualify how her beauty (a good thing) can be excessive. When he returned my lost iphone to me, I nearly kissed his feet. Primarily, literally means (1) word for word; however, it can also mean figuratively, virtually, nearly, in effect. See dictionary literally. She's a unique singer. / She's a distinctive singer. He's dead. Not incorrect, but logic suggests not using degree modifiers with absolute words. For example, it is confusing to use rather before: absolute, dead, entirely, eternal, fatal, final, finite, identical, immortal, infinite, mortal, opposite, perfect, right, straight, opposite, or unique.