Some of the most frequently asked questions that we get are about adverbs, often with a request for a complete list of adverbs. Now that is a pretty big request as there are hundreds and hundreds of adverbs in English! However, what I think we will do is, from time to time, post common adverbs with the category that they belong to as this seems to be a lot more useful for you than to just deliver a long list of words. So today I am going to have a look at adverbs of certainty.

ADVERBS OF CERTAINTY

These adverbs express how certain or sure we feel about an action or event.

Common adverbs of certainty include:

* certainly,definitely, probably, undoubtedly, surely

How to put them in a sentence

Adverbs of certainty are usually placed in the mid-position – after auxiliary verbs and before other verbs. If you have two or more auxiliaries, the adverb goes after the first one.

* Ghandi was undoubtedly a great influence on the peace movement.

* It will certainly rain this evening.

* I definitely need that report on my desk by tonight.

* Sharaz will probably be at the party tomorrow night.

* They have definitely been living in Turkey for ten years.

They go before the main verb but after the verb ‘to be’:

* He definitely left the house this morning.

* He is probably in the park.

With other auxiliary verbs, these adverbs go between the auxiliary and the main verb:

* He has certainly forgotten the meeting.

* He will probably remember tomorrow.

Sometimes these adverbs can be placed at the beginning of the sentence:

* Undoubtedly, Winston Churchill was a great politician.

BE CAREFUL! with surely. When it is placed at the beginning of the sentence, it means the speaker thinks something is true, but is looking for confirmation:

Example:

* Surely you’ve got a bicycle?

More on adverbs in the weeks to come!