2015-08-21
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Adverbs of degree broadly answer the question 'To what extent?' Some of the most common are: almost altogether, barely, a bit, enough fairly hardly nearly quite, rather somewhat, too Most of these go before the words they modify: e.g.
- adjectives: quite good
- adverbs: quite quickly
- verbs: / quite like it
- nouns (in a few instances): quite an experience However, not all adverbs of degree can form all these combinations. Adverbs of degree change the meaning of a sentence, often by
7 Adverbs
weakening the effect of the word they modify. In speech, the information they provide can vary according to stress: The film was quite good (rising tone: = I enjoyed it on the whole) The film was quite good (falling tone: = I didn't particularly enjoy it) For adverbs of degree which will combine with the comparative and superlative of adjectives and adverbs [> 6.27.5, 6.28.2].
Some quantifiers, such as a little, a lot, much, etc. can be used as
adverbs of degree [> 7.45-46]. Compare:
/ don t like coffee very much (degree)
I don't drink much coffee (quantity)
Fractions and percentages also function as adverbs to show degree: Business is so bad that the department stores are half empty We have a 60% chance of winning the next election
Some adverbs of degree (almost, nearly, etc.) do not pose problems in usage; others (fairly, rather, etc.) are more complicated. Detailsfollow.
7.42 'Quite'
The meaning of quite depends on the kind of word it modifies. With adjectives and adverbs which are gradable [> 6.5] quite means 'less than the highest degree', or it can mean 'better than expected'. This use of quite (- less than, etc.) is not very common in AmE.
The lecture was quite good He lectured quite well (= less than) However, with ungradable words (dead, perfect(ly) unique(ly)) and 'strong' gradable words (amazing(ly), astounding(ly)), quite means 'absolutely' or 'completely':
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The news is quite amazing. She plays quite amazingly
Not quite, roughly meaning 'not completely', is normally used with
ungradable words only (not quite dead, not quite perfect, etc.): Your answer is not quite right.
Quite is not used with the comparative but can modify a few verbs: / quite enjoy mountain holidays (i.e. to a certain extent) / quite forgot to post your letter (i.e. completely)
And note: He's quite better (= He has completely recovered.)
Quite is often used in BrE in understatements. Thus, if a speaker says, He s quite clever, he might mean, 'He's very intelligent'. Where a slightly different emphasis is required, quite can be replaced by no! all + a negative word: He s not at all stupid [compare > 5.8]
7.42.1 'Quite a/an', 'quite some' and 'quite the'
Quite a'an + countable noun suggests 'noteworthy':
Madeleine is quite an expert on Roman coins Quite some + uncountable noun suggests 'considerable':
It's quite some time since we wrote to each other Quite a an (or a quite) + adjective + noun is positive in its effect:
It is quite an interesting film/a quite interesting film Quite the (= e.g. 'certainly') can combine with:
- superlatives: It s quite the worst play I have ever seen
- nouns: Wide lapels are quite the fashion this spring
Adverbs of degree
7.43 'Fairly'
Fairly suggests 'less than the highest degree' and often combines with adjectives/adverbs that suggest a good state of affairs (e.g. good nice well). It is less 'complimentary' than quite:
The lecture was fairly good He lectured fairly well Fairly does not combine with comparatives. Compared with quite and rather, it combines with verbs in restricted contexts:
You fairly drive me mad with your nagging (= very nearly) A fairly combines with adjective + noun:
He's a fairly good speaker (less complimentary than quite a/an)
7.44 'Rather'
Rather can be stronger than quite and fairly and suggests 'inclined to be'. It can combine with adjectives which suggest a good state of affairs or a bad one:
- inclined to be good: good, nice clever, well
- inclined to be bad: bad. nasty, stupid, ill Rather combines with:
- adjectives: This jackets getting rather old
- adverbs: / did rather badly in the competition
- some verbs: / rather like raw fish
- comparatives: Clive earns rather more than his father Rather tends to combine with 'negative' adjectives:
Frank is clever but rather lazy With 'positive' adjectives, rather often suggests 'surprisingly':
Your results are rather good - better than I expected In BrE rather, like quite [> 7.42], is used in understatements: Professor Boffin was rather pleased when he won the Nobel Prize 7.44.1 'Rather a/an' and 'a rather'
Rather a/an combines with a noun:
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Old Fortescue's rather a bore (= he's inclined to be a bore) Rather a/an or a rather can precede adjective + noun:
It's rather a sad story = It's a rather sad story
7.45 'Much', far' and 'a lot'
Normally, much and far combine with comparative/superlative forms [> 6.27.5, 6.28.2]: much bigger far better, far the best; and a lot combines with comparatives: a lot more expensive-Much can be used like very [> 7.51] and any [> 5.12.3] with a few positive (i.e. not comparative or superlative) forms such as good and different. It is normally used with a negative:
/ don t think this battery is much good/much different A lot and far combine with different, but not with good: This edition is a lot/far different from the earlier one Not much and a lot combine with verbs like like and enjoy'-I don't much like fish I don't like fish (very) much/a lot Far combines with verbs like prefer and would rather [>11 .44]: / far prefer swimming to cycling
7 Adverbs
7.46 'A (little) bit', 'a little', 'somewhat'
A bit (or a little bit), a little and somewhat combine with
- adjectives I t ' s a bit/a little/somewhat expensive
- adverbs He arrived a bit/a little/somewhat late
- comparatives You re a bit/a little/somewhat taller than Alice
- verbs I' ve turned up the oven a bit/a little/somewhat
Not a bit (like not in the least not in the slightest) is often used for extra emphasis as a negative intensifier [compare > 5.8] She wasn't even a bit upset when she heard the news
7.47 'Enough' and 'fairly' [compare > 5.17]
Enough and fairly should not be confused Enough, as an adverb, follows an adjective or adverb and suggests 'for some purpose'
The water in the pool is fairly warm
The water in the pool is warm enough (to swim in) [> 16.32.2]
7.48 'Too', 'very' and 'enough'
Too goes before adjectives and adverbs It conveys the idea of 'excess', 'more than is necessary', and should not be confused with the intensifier very, which does not suggest excess [> 7.51] Too and enough point to a result
/ arrived at the station too late (I missed the train) / didn t arrive at the station early enough (I missed the train) / didn t arrive at the station too late (I caught the train) / arrived at the station early enough (I caught the train)
Too can be modified by a bit far a little a lot much and rather (far
too much work a bit too difficult, etc)
For too and enough with adjective + infinitive [> 16.32]
7.49 'Hardly', barely' and scarcely'
These adverbs are similar in meaning They can be used in front of
- adjectives This soup is hardly/barely/scarcely warm (enough)
- adverbs She plays hardly/barely/scarcely well enough Hardly and scarcely can be used with verbs
It might stop raining but I hardly/scarcely think it likely Barely combines with a smaller range of verbs Jimmy barely knows his multiplication tables yet
Hardly barely and scarcely are negative words and do not combine with not or never They combine with ever [> 7. 39] and any [> 5.10] / ve got so little time I hardly ever read newspapers There s hardly any cheerful news in the papers
Hardly barely scarcely ever can be replaced by almost never I almost never visit London these days (= I hardly ever) Nearly will not combine with never, we must use almost never
We can say not nearly, but we cannot say *not almost*
There are not nearly enough members present to hold a meet 1 1
Intensifies
