Adverbs of Basis and Generality · Adverbs: Result Viewpoint

used to emphasize the nature or most important aspects of a person or thing

"It is essentially the same."

"It is essentially the same thing so there is no real difference between the two options you are considering."

in a manner that relates to the basic and essential principles or elements of something

"The theory is foundationally sound."

"The theory is foundationally sound and it has been accepted by experts in the field for over a century."

in a manner that refers to the inherent characteristic of a person, thing, or situation

"She is by nature shy."

"She is by nature a shy person and she finds it difficult to speak in front of large groups of people."

in a manner that refers to the natural and essential characteristics of a person, thing, or situation

"It is inherently dangerous."

"The system is inherently flawed and cannot be fixed with small changes because the entire design needs to be redone."

used to express the natural and essential part of a person, thing, or situation

"The value is intrinsically linked."

"The value of the artwork is intrinsically linked to its history and a piece with a famous provenance is worth much more than an unknown painting."

used to describe something as it is, without comparing it to other things

"It is good itself."

"The idea is not per se bad but it needs to be implemented carefully to avoid unintended negative consequences."

in a way that is natural or present from birth

"She is innately talented at music."

"She is innately talented at music and could play the piano by ear without any formal training at all."

without a valid reason or purpose

"He worried unnecessarily."

"The anxious patient worried unnecessarily about the surgery and the procedure turned out to be much simpler and safer than she had feared."

without necessity or a valid reason

"He suffered needlessly."

"The man suffered needlessly because the doctor misdiagnosed his condition and prescribed the wrong medication for several months."

in a way that is true in most cases

"Generally speaking it is a good school."

"Generally speaking it is a good school but some of the teachers are better than others."

in a manner that applies to the majority of situations, things, or people without specific details or exceptions

"In general he agrees."

"In general the students performed well on the exam but a few individuals struggled with the more difficult questions."

in a broad way, lacking unique characteristics or specific details

"The drug is generically available."

"The drug is generically available and patients can buy the much cheaper generic version instead of the expensive brand name medication."

in a general or approximate way, without going into precise detail

"He spoke broadly about it."

"The report broadly outlined the company's financial performance for the last fiscal year."

in a way that is widely favored or recognized by a large number of people

"He is popularly known."

"The actor is popularly known for his role in the action movie franchise and fans recognize him on the street wherever he goes."

as a second choice or another possibility

"Alternatively you can take the train."

"Alternatively you can take the train instead of driving if you do not want to deal with traffic and parking."

in a simple or fundamental manner, without concern for less important details

"It is basically simple."

"Basically, the project aims to streamline the workflow by eliminating unnecessary steps."

in a manner that emphasizes the most important aspects or qualities of something

"In essence he was right."

"In essence the two proposals are the same and the committee should choose the cheaper one since they have identical outcomes."

in a manner that refers to the essential aspects of something

"It is fundamentally wrong."

"The two theories are fundamentally different, despite sharing a common historical origin."

in a manner that expresses what is really intended, without exaggeration

"It was literally freezing."

"The speaker literally captivated the entire audience with his insightful and engaging presentation."

in a manner that is consistent with the characteristics or inherent tendencies of something

"He is naturally kind."

"The child, naturally curious, explored the new environment with uninhibited enthusiasm."

with a focus on the main aspects of a thing, situation, or person

"The course is primarily for beginners."

"The course is primarily designed for beginners who have no previous experience in the subject at all."

in a manner that emphasizes a specific aspect or detail

"I particularly enjoy Italian food."

"I particularly enjoy Italian food especially pasta dishes like spaghetti carbonara and lasagna with rich tomato sauce."

only for one certain type of person or thing

"This book was written specifically for children."

"This book was written specifically for children aged eight to twelve who are interested in science and nature."

with everyone or everything included

"Overall, it was good."

"Overall, the team performed well, despite a few minor setbacks during the challenging competition."

in a general manner, without specific limitations

"The suspect is at large."

"The escaped prisoner is still at large and the police have warned the public not to approach him under any circumstances."