Adverbs of degree with verbs

Adverbs of degree modify verbs to show the degree, extent or completeness of an action or state, in other words, how much or to what extent it happens or is true. Common adverbs of degree used to modify verbs include really, very much, so much, too much, enough, almost, hardly and completely. They modify verbs when an action or state can naturally vary in degree, intensity, extent or completeness, or when we want to show how close an action comes to happening.

Adverbs of degree can also modify adjectives and other adverbs to express differences in degree or intensity.

How adverbs of degree modify verbs

Verbs can interact with degree in different ways. Some actions and states can naturally vary in degree, intensity or extent, while others can vary in completeness. Adverbs of degree can also show that an action comes close to happening or completion, happens by only a small margin, or happens to a very small degree. The table below shows some of the main ways adverbs of degree modify verbs:

Really, very much, so much and a lot

Really, very much, so much and a lot are amongst the most common adverbs of degree used to modify verbs. They all express a high degree, intensity or extent. Really and a lot are particularly common in spoken English, while so much expresses a very high degree and often adds stronger emotion or emphasis.

These adverbs are commonly used with verbs whose meaning can naturally vary in degree, intensity or extent. This includes verbs describing feelings, attitudes, states and effects, such as like, love, enjoy, want, help and hurt, as well as actions that can vary in intensity or extent, such as try, struggle, push, work, fight and concentrate. For example, you can like something more or less, something can hurt more or less, or you can struggle to a greater or lesser extent.

Really goes in the mid position, while so much and a lot go in the end position. Very much can go in either the end position or the mid position:

• I really like this restaurant.
• We enjoyed the film very much.
• We struggled so much this week.
• My back hurts a lot.

When very much is placed in the mid position, it is more emphatic and can sound more formal:

• We very much enjoyed the film.
• I very much appreciate your help.

With verbs describing actions or effort, very much is less common and can sound formal or unnatural depending on the verb. Really, a lot and so much are more natural:

• ⚠️ We have very much struggled this week. (sounds overly formal or unusual)
• ⚠️ The children were screaming very much. (sounds unnatural)

A lot can also be interpreted as expressing frequency or quantity with some verbs, rather than degree:

• ⚠️ We travel a lot. (We travel frequently)
• ⚠️ She eats a lot. (She eats a large amount of food)

Remember not to put these adverbs between a transitive verb and its object:

• ❌ We enjoyed very much the film.
• ❌ I appreciate really your help.

Adverbs of degree to limit or strengthen negative verbs

Really, very much, so much, that much and a lot can all be used with a negative to make the negative meaning less absolute. They show that the action or state may still exist, but not to a high degree. In negative sentences, much can also be used on its own in this way:

• I don’t really like this restaurant. (I may like it a little)
• She doesn’t enjoy her job very much. (She may get some enjoyment from it)
• The noise doesn’t bother me so much now. (It still bothers me a little)
• The delay doesn’t matter that much. (It still matters to some degree)
• The medicine didn’t help a lot. (It may have helped a little)
• My back doesn’t hurt much today. (There is still some pain)

If we want to strengthen or emphasise the negative meaning, we can use really before a negative auxiliary, rather than in the usual mid position after it:

• I really don’t like this restaurant. (strong dislike)
• She really doesn’t enjoy her job. (strong emphasis on her dislike of the job)
• The medicine really didn’t help. (strong emphasis that it was ineffective)
• We really haven’t enjoyed the course. (strong emphasis on our lack of enjoyment)

Really can also come before a negative modal verb to strengthen the negative modal meaning:

• I really can’t afford it. (stronger inability)
• He really won’t change his mind. (stronger unwillingness or refusal)
• You really shouldn’t do that. (stronger advice or warning)
• You really mustn’t touch that. (stronger prohibition)

This contrasts with really after the negative in the regular mid position, which makes the negative less absolute:

• I don’t really like this restaurant. (a mild dislike)
• I really don’t like this restaurant. (a strong dislike)
• He can’t really afford that. (the inability to pay is not as absolute)
• He really can’t afford that. (the inability to pay is emphasised)

How much to ask about the extent or degree of an action or state

Much, very much, so much, that much and a lot can be used in questions to ask about the degree of an action or state. They go in the end position:

• Did you enjoy the film much?
• Did you enjoy the film very much?
• Why do you miss her so much?
• Does the delay matter that much?
• Did the medicine help a lot?

We can use how much to ask about the degree or intensity of an action or state:

• How much did it hurt?
• How much does it matter?
• How much do you like Star Wars?
• How much do you miss him?

When really is used in a question, it tends to be understood to mean actually or in fact, but this is not a degree meaning:

• ⚠️ Did he really resign? (Did he actually resign?)
• ⚠️ Did that really happen? (Did that actually happen?)

Too much to show excessive degree

Too much shows that the degree of an action or state is greater than is wanted, needed or acceptable. It is placed in the end position:

• I care about this too much.
• She worries too much about everything.
• I miss you too much.
• He wants to win too much.
• That hurts too much.
• You depend on him too much.

In informal English, speakers sometimes use too much playfully to exaggerate a positive feeling or experience, often preceded by way. The idea of excess is still present, but the speaker is treating it humorously or positively:

• I love these brownies way too much!
• I miss you too much!
• He makes me laugh way too much!
• I like that show too much!

⚠️ However, do not use too much simply as another way to say very much. Without this playful exaggeration, too much says that the degree is excessive and can therefore make a sentence sound critical or negative:

• He likes cookies too much. (his liking is excessive, perhaps because he eats too many)
• I trust you too much. (my level of trust is excessive, rather than a high degree)
• He wants to win too much. (his desire to win is excessive, rather than a high degree)
• She admires him too much. (her level of admiration is excessive, rather than a high degree)

Enough to show sufficient degree

Enough shows that an action happens to the necessary or sufficient extent. It can be used in positive and negative sentences and in questions. Enough is placed in the end position:

• I’ve worked enough today.
• She hasn’t spoken to her mother enough recently.
• We didn’t sleep enough last night.
• I think we’ve discussed this topic enough.

A to-infinitive can follow enough to explain the result:

• They practised enough to feel confident.
• I saved enough to buy a new laptop.
• He slept enough to feel relaxed the next day.
• My sister studied enough to pass her exam.

We can also use enough in a question to ask whether an action or state reaches the necessary or desired degree:

• Have you eaten enough?
• Did she rest enough at the weekend?
• Did they study enough?
• Have you saved enough to buy a new car?

Almost and nearly when something is close to happening or completion

Some actions or results involve a clear limit or endpoint rather than simply varying in degree, such as passing an exam, winning a race, catching a train, reaching a destination or finishing a task. We can use almost and nearly to show that the action or result comes close to that limit but does not reach it. They are placed in the mid position:

• I almost missed my flight.
• She nearly sent the wrong report.
• My team almost got promoted.
• The film had nearly finished when the fire alarm went off.

When almost and nearly modify a negative verb phrase, put them before the negative auxiliary:

• She almost didn’t make it in time.
• I nearly didn’t answer the phone.
• We almost didn’t go to the party.
• He nearly didn’t recognise her.

We can also use be close to + (not) gerund to express a similar meaning to almost and nearly:

• I was close to missing my flight.
• She was close to sending the wrong report.
• She was close to not making it in time.
• We were close to not going to the party.

Barely, scarcely, just and only just when something marginally happens

Barely, scarcely, just and only just can be used as adverbs of degree to show that something happens by only a small margin. In this use, the action or result reaches or crosses a limit or threshold, such as the boundary between passing and failing, catching and missing, fitting and not fitting, or winning and losing. Only just places a little more emphasis on how small the margin is, while scarcely is more formal and less common. These adverbs are placed in the mid position:

• They barely passed the exam. (only slightly above the pass mark)
• We just made the train. (very close to missing it)
• The table only just fits through the door. (very close to not fitting)
• The car scarcely missed the wall. (very close to hitting it)

Just is not an alternative for barely when barely is used to show an action or state happens to a very small degree. Using just instead of barely in this situation would be interpreted as one of the other uses of just:

• I barely know Paul. (I only know Paul a little)
• ⚠️ I just know Paul. (Paul is the only person I know)
• I barely slept last night. (I slept very little last night)
• ⚠️ I just slept last night. (Sleeping is the only thing I did last night)

Barely, hardly and scarcely when something happens to a very small degree

Barely, hardly and scarcely are used to mean almost not or only to a very small degree or extent. Hardly and barely are more common than scarcely. In this use, these adverbs are placed in the mid position:

• You’ve barely eaten anything.
• I can hardly walk after my accident.
• I scarcely remember him.
• John barely spoke in the meeting.

Barely, hardly and scarcely can also be placed in the front position for extra emphasis using inversion, especially in more formal English. This means that, when they are placed at the beginning of a clause, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject. If there is no auxiliary verb in the normal sentence, add do, does or did:

• I could hardly hear him. → Hardly could I hear him.
• She could barely stand. → Barely could she stand.
• He had scarcely spoken all evening. → Scarcely had he spoken all evening.
• She hardly slept that night. → Hardly did she sleep that night.

Barely, hardly and scarcely already have a negative meaning, so we do not use them with a negative verb:

• ❌ You’ve not barely eaten anything.
• ❌ I can’t hardly walk after my accident.
• ❌ They didn’t scarcely pass the exam.
• ❌ John didn’t barely speak in the meeting.

Complete and emphatic degree adverbs

Degree adverbs can also show that an action or state is complete or add strong emphasis. Common examples include completely, totally, utterly and absolutely. These adverbs commonly go in mid position:

• She totally nailed it.
• All the students absolutely crushed their exam.
• You have completely ruined our evening.
• He utterly destroyed his opponent.
• He completely ignored me last night.
• I absolutely hate waiting on the phone.

Completely and utterly are used in both everyday and more formal English. Totally is particularly common in conversational English when used for emphasis, while absolutely is especially common with strong feelings and reactions.

Common degree adverb and verb collocations

Some verbs commonly combine with particular degree adverbs. These combinations are called collocations, which means the words naturally occur together in English. Some, such as greatly appreciate and deeply regret, are especially common in more formal or careful English, while others, such as strongly believe, highly recommend and badly need, are also common in everyday English. In conversation, really can often be used instead, although the meaning or emphasis may be slightly different.

Common mistakes with adverbs of degree and verbs

Free adverbs of degree for verbs worksheets