
Adverbs of degree are words that
tell how much or to what extent something happens. They basically describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and are usually placed or come just before the word they represent.
For example, you have heard people saying “I am very tired” or “The mango is too sour”. Words like “very” and “too” tell us how much something happens. These words are called adverbs of degree.
In this blog, PlanetSpark explains the definition of adverbs of degree, provides examples, explores a wide list of adverbs of degree in detail, along with some exercises to test your learning.
The perfect definition of Adverbs of degree is that it is a word that tells the intensity or extent of an adjective, verb, or any other word, answering the question “to what extent?”. Thus, it is the degree that tells us how much, how little, or to what extent something happens.
Example- She is very happy. (How
happy? Very happy)
The water is too hot. (How cold? Too hot)
He is almost ready. (How ready? Almost ready)
Thus adverb of degree helps in making the sentence clear and more meaningful.
1. It is too late to call him now.
Explanation: Too means more than enough. It means it’s later than the suitable time to call
2. She is very confident.
Explanation: Very shows a high degree. Here, it means she is highly confident.
3. They are almost ready for the exam.
Explanation: Almost means they are nearly, but not completely. They are just about to get ready for the examinations.
4. I am completely exhausted after the game.
Explanation: Completely means full. The person here is fully tired after the game.
5. The soup was so delicious.
Explanation: So means to a great extent. It makes the adjective (delicious) stronger.
6. He doesn’t study enough.
Explanation: Enough shows the amount or quantity. It means he should study more as he is not studying.
7. The table is quite light.
Explanation: Quite means moderate. Here, it means that the table is not that heavy.
8. I really enjoy reading books.
Explanation: Really means genuinely. It showcases a strong liking or admiration for reading books.
9. The exam was extremely difficult.
Explanation: Extremely means to a very great extent. Here, it means that the exam was very difficult.
10. He could hardly hear the music.
Explanation: Hardly means barely, somehow or almost not. It means that he could barely hear the sound.

There are 5 common adverbs of degree, namely very, extremely, quite, too, and almost. These words show how much or to what extent something happens or is true.
1. Very- shows a high degree
Example- The soup is very good
2. Extremely- expresses a stronger intensity than “very”.
Example- The view was extremely beautiful.
3. Quite- shows a moderate degree.
Example- He is quite interested.
4. Too- it means more than necessary.
Example- It’s too cold to go out.
5. Almost- it means not fully complete.
Example- He almost missed the train.
Adverb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Very | To a high degree | He is very intelligent. |
Too | More than enough | It’s too cold to play outside. |
Extremely | To a very great extent | The room is extremely small. |
Almost | Nearly | He almost missed the car. |
Completely | Totally | The work is completely done. |
Absolutely | Totally or definitely | He is absolutely right. |
Barely | Hardly or just enough | I could barely hear her. |
Quite | Fairly, not completely | He is quite tall. |
Somewhat | To some extent | The plan was somewhat successful. |
Fairly | To a moderate degree | The movie was fairly good. |
Hardly | Barely or almost not | She could hardly believe it. |
Terribly | Very badly or extremely | The weather was terribly cold. |
Incredibly | Extremely or unbelievably | The food was incredibly delicious. |
Enough | To the required extent | He is strong enough to lift it. |
Largely | Mostly or mainly | The show was largely entertaining. |
Pretty | Fairly or moderately | She’s pretty confident today. |
Really | Truly or genuinely | I really like your idea. |
Scarcely | Barely or almost not | We scarcely see them these days. |
Insanely | Extremely or unusually | The mountain was insanely high. |
Remarkably | In an extraordinary way | She did remarkably well in the exam. |
Badly | To a great or serious degree | He was badly hurt. |
Greatly | Very much or deeply | Your help is greatly appreciated. |
Highly | To a great degree | She’s a highly skilled dancer. |
Most | To the greatest degree | It’s the most beautiful view. |
Little | To a small degree | She spoke little about the topic. |
Less | To a smaller extent | This version is less complicated. |
Much | To a large extent | I much prefer coffee to tea. |
Least | To the smallest degree | That’s the least interesting chapter. |
Just | Exactly or only | She arrived just in time. |
Intensely | With great strength or passion | He stared at her intensely. |
Purely | Entirely or only | Her choice was purely personal. |
Strongly | With force or determination | I strongly agree with you. |
Thoroughly | Completely and carefully | She thoroughly enjoyed the movie. |
Utterly | Completely or absolutely | The place was utterly silent. |
Horribly | Very badly or unpleasantly | The meal tasted horribly bitter. |
Unusually | Not typical; rare | It’s unusually quiet today. |
Wonderfully | Extremely well or nicely | The movie ended wonderfully. |
Deeply | Strongly or greatly | They were deeply moved by his words. |
Fully | Completely | I fully understand your concern. |
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Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with the right adverb of degree.
1. He is _ exhausted after the long trip.
2. The tea is _ hot to drink.
3. I am _ satisfied with his work.
4. She speaks _ clearly.
5. The movie was _ boring that I left early.
Answers:
1. Very
2. too
3. quite
4. very
5. so
Play & Learn — Try our Adverb Worksheet Challenge!
Exercise 2. Choose the right adverb of degree.
1. It is (very/too) hot outside.
2. They are (quite/enough) sure about it.
3. The strawberries are (so/very) sweet.
4. He is not (completely/enough) ready for the exam.
5. I am (almost/hardly) done with my work.
Answers:
1. too
2. quite
3. very
4. completely
5. almost

Understanding, identifying, and using adverbs of degree confidently will help your child to express themselves proficiently and add the perfect intensity to their speech and writing. Learning this topic with us in 1:1 personalised mode, interactive lessons, gamified studying, and AI feedback, regular practice worksheets, PlanetSpark ensures that the child will not only learn this as a bookish rules, but also apply them confidently in real-life communication.
The adverb of degree is specifically used to indicate the extent of an adjective, verb, or another adverb. Generally, it is placed directly before the word it modifies.
In the particular sentence, just place the adverb before adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs, but “enough” is the only adverb after the word it modifies.
For example, she is very happy. (Before adjective)
She isn’t tall enough. (after adjective)
To identify an adverb of degree, we look for words that answer or satisfy the question “how much?” or “to what extent?” By modifying a verb, another adverb, or an adjective.
There is a big difference between these two words. “Very” expresses a high degree (He speaks very quickly), and “Too” means more than needed or more than good (He speaks too quickly for me to understand).
The adverb enough is special or an exception because it usually comes after the adjective or adverb it modifies, unlike most adverbs of degree that come before.
Example- She is tall enough to reach the fan.
He did not work hard enough to pass.
Yes, PlanetSpark offers more than 800 worksheets, daily practice tasks, daily activities, and speaking prompts to help kids apply tenses in real-life communication.