Adverbials Part 2: degree adverbials

Main ideas and lessons (Degree adverbials / “adverbials part 2”)

• Adverbials modify the “degree” of something, meaning they express:

  • How much / how little
  • How often
  • The intensity (e.g., a lot vs. a little)
  • How far/extent something happens or is true

• Key distinction reminder (from part 1):

  • All adverbs can function as adverbials, but not all adverbials are single-word adverbs.

• Degree adverbs are words that specifically scale the degree/intensity of an action or quality, such as:

  • almost, barely, extremely, hardly, quite, so, too
  • and related meanings like nearly

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Method / structure shown in the video (with examples)

A) Degree adverbs (single-word degree modifiers)

Process/idea:

• A degree adverb modifies either:
  • a verb, another adverb, or an adjective
• Degree adverbials answer questions like “to what degree?” or “how much?”

Examples (6 sentences):

1. Dan has almost completed his project.

   • Degree adverb: almost
   • Question answered: To what degree?
   • Meaning: nearly finished / not a lot left

2. They nearly collided with another car.

   • Degree adverb: nearly
   • Question answered: To what degree?
   • Meaning: they almost had an accident (but didn’t actually collide)

3. I’m so unbelievably tired.

   • Degree phrase contains two adverbs:
     • so modifies unbelievably
     • unbelievably modifies the adjective tired
   • Meaning: the tiredness is intensified

4. Tobias performed very well.

   • Degree adverb: very
   • very modifies the adverb well
   • Meaning: more intensely/strongly performing “well”

5. Amanda is so happy right now.

   • Degree adverb: so
   • Modifies adjective: happy
   • Meaning: high degree of happiness

6. Tammie ran extremely fast.

   • Degree adverb: extremely
   • Modifies adjective/adjective-like element: fast
   • Meaning: very high intensity of “fast”

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B) What changes when you remove the degree adverbial?

Core lesson:

• Removing the degree adverbial can change the meaning, sometimes drastically.

Two comparison points:

1. Dan has almost completed his project.

   • If you remove almost → Dan has completed his project
   • Meaning shifts from nearly finished to finished

2. They nearly collided with another car.

   • If you remove nearly → They collided with another car
   • Meaning shifts from almost an accident to it actually happened

• The video also notes almost and nearly are very similar in meaning (covered as a separate point/video).

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C) Degree adverbials as phrases (not necessarily single-word adverbs inside)

Process/idea:

• Some adverbials are phrases that function as degree adverbials even though they don’t contain a single-word adverb.
• They answer questions such as:
  • to what degree
  • to what extent
  • how much / how little
  • how often

Examples (6 sentences):

1. Jody likes salami as much as me.

   • Adverbial phrase: as much as me
   • Question answered: How much?

2. The evidence was beyond reasonable doubt.

   • Adverbial phrase: beyond reasonable doubt (legal expression)
   • Question answered: To what degree was it believable?

3. Their house is bigger than ours.

   • Adverbial phrase: bigger than ours
   • Question answered: How big / to what extent?

4. Jody is as quiet as a mouse.

   • Adverbial phrase: as quiet as a mouse
   • Question answered: How quiet?

5. Jesus clean as she is cautious. (as transcribed; used to illustrate the comparison construction)

   • Adverbial construction: as … as
   • Explanation given: cautious meaning skeptical / thinking carefully / not making quick decisions
   • Question answered: How clean? (degree expressed via “as … as”)

6. Paula was faster than I thought.

   • Adverbial phrase: faster than I thought
   • Question answered: How fast? / to what degree (faster than my perception)?

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Overall conclusion

• Degree adverbials express intensity/extent and often answer “to what degree?”
• They can be:
  • single-word degree adverbs (e.g., almost, nearly, extremely, so)
  • adverbial phrases that may contain no single-word adverbs, but still answer the same degree questions

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Speakers / sources featured

• Larissa (host; “English resource lab keeping it simple”)