ADVERBS OF DEGREE

(very, quite, a bit)

ANINDIA AYU RAHMAWATI, M.HUM.

 INTRODUCTION

An adverb of degree makes the meaning weaker

or stronger. Here are some more examples:
SMALL DEGREE 1. a little late
2. slightly complicated\
3. Laura is a bit tired. She’s been
working all morning.
MEDIUM DEGREE 1. fairly unusual
2. pretty good
3. rather nice
LARGER DEGREE (stronger) 1. absolutely sure
2. completely mad
3. extremely cold
4. really ill
An Adverb of degree with Adjective & Adverb

An adverb of degree (e.g. very) goes before and

adjective (e.g. cold) or an adverb (e.g. quickly)

ADVERB + ADJECTIVE ADVERB + ADVERB

1. It’s very cold today. 1. The time passed quite quickly.
2. Rita looked rather upset. 2. We go on holiday fairly soon.
3. This dress is absolutely 3. United played extremely well.
marvellous.
 Before a comparative, we can use a bit, a little, a lot,
far, much, rather, and slightly.
1. I’m feeling a lot better today.
2. These new trains go much faster.
 Adverbs of Degree with Verb

 Some adverbs of degree can describe a verb.

 They usually go in mid position:
1. My foot is really hurting.
2. Laura quite enjoys shopping.
3. I rather like this cake.
 Some adverbs of degree go at the end of a sentence, when they describe a verb:
1. Mark travels a lot.
2. I’ll open the window a little.
3. The animals suffer terribly.

 Absolutely, completely, & totally can go in mid position or at the

end.
1. We completely lost our way / We lost our way completely.
2. I’m afraid I totally disagree. / I’m afraid I disagree totally.
 Quite

Quite usually means ‘fairly’ or a medium amount.

1. I feel quite hungry now.
2. The talk was quite interesting.
3. Repairing the machine is quite difficult.
4. We were quite surprised at the result.
 Quite or Rather?

When we make a favourable comment, we usually

say quite, not rather.
1. The book was quite interesting.
2. It’s quite warm now.
In unfavourable comments, we usually say rather,
but quite is possible
1. The book was rather boring.
2. It was rather awkward.
 Quite or Rather?

Rather in a favourable comment means ‘to a

surprising or unusual degree’.
1. It’s rather warm for October. (It isn’t usually so
warm.)
2. I expect Tom’s jokes were awful. – Actually they
were rather funny.
We can use rather with a comparative but not
quite.
1. The meal took rather longer than we expected.
 Quite meaning ‘completely’

With some adjectives, quite means ‘completely’ or

‘totally’.
1. What you said is quite wrong. {= completely
wrong}
2. The idea is quite absurd . {= totally absurd}
 Quite means ‘completely’ with these adjectives:
absurd, alone, amazing, awful, brilliant, certain,
dead, different, dreadful, extraordinary, false,
hopeless, horrible, impossible, perfect,
ridiculous, right, sure, true, useless, wrong
 Compare the uses of quite

I’m quite tired. (= fairly) I’m quite exhausted. (= completely)

The advice was quite useful. I got one The advice was quite useless. It was
or two tips. absolutely no good at all.