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ample
ADJECTIVE If there is an ample amount of something, there is enough of it and usually some extra. ■ Tf^^r^^'ll be ample opportunity to relax, swim and soak up some sun. ■ There were ample supplies of vegetables and fruit as well.
ADJECTIVE A marked change or difference is very obvious and easily noticed. ■ There has been a marked increase in crimes against property. ■ He was a man of austere habits, in marked contrast to his more flamboyant wife.
The trends since the 1950s have become even more marked.
ADJECTIVE You use modest to describe something such as an amount, rate or improvement which is fairly small.
Unemployment rose to the still modest rate of 0.7%. ■ The democratic reforms have been modest.
ADJECTIVE An amount or effect that is negligible is so small that it is not worth
considering or worrying about. ■ The pay that the soldiers received was negligible.
Senior managers are convinced that the strike will have a negligible impact. ■ cut down to negligible proportions
ADJECTIVE Something that is vast is extremely large. ■ The farmers own vast str-etches of land.
The vast majority of the eggs will be cracked.
Adjectives describing degree
of certainty:
ADJECTIVE Something that is definitive provides a firm conclusion that cannot be questioned. ■ The study population was too small to reach any definitive conclusions..
There is no definitive test as yet for the condition.
PHRASE When something is liable to happen, it is very likely to happen. ■ Only a small minority of the mentally ill are liable to harm themselves or others. ■ He is liable to change his mind quite rapidyy.
ADJECTIVE Tentative agreements, plans, or arrangements are not definite or certain, but have been made as a first step.
Political leaders have reached a tentative agreement to hold a preparatory conference next month. ■ Such theories are still very tentative. ■ The study was adequate to permit at least tentative conclusions;.
ADJECTIVE If you describe a fact or an opinion as undisputed, you are trying to persuade someone that it is generally accepted as true or correct. ■ the undisputed fact that he had broken the law ■ his undisputed genius
Adverbs describing quantity and degree:
ADVERB Marginally means to only a small extent. ■ Sales last year were marginally higher than in 1991. ■ The Christian Democrats did marginally worse than expected. ■ These cameras have increased only marginally in value over the past decade.
ADVERB If something seldom happens, it happens only occasionally. ■ They seldom speak. ■ Hypertension can be controlled but seldom cured. ■ The fines were seldom sufficient to force any permanent change.
Adverbs describing degree of certainty:
ADVERB If something is ostensibly true, it seems to be true, but you or other people have doubts about it. ■ ostensibly independent organisations
ADVERB If you say that something is reportedly true, you mean that someone has said that it is true, but you have no direct evidence of it. [FORMAL] ■ More than two hundred people have reportedly been killed in the past week's fighting. ■ Now Moscow has reportedly agreed that the sale can go ahead. ■ General Breymann had been shot dead, reportedly by one of his own men.
ADVERB You use seemingly when you want to say that something seems to be true. ■ He moved to Spain, seemingly to enjoy a slower style of life.
Practice exercises
Exam tip: In the IELTS Writing exam you can use words such as vast and marginally to present facts, figures or trends effectively.
Some adjectives and adverbs convey the idea of ‘big’, ‘very’ or ‘a lot’.
Example: Vast amounts of money have been spent on IT projects that have proved unworkable.
Other adjectives and adverbs convey the idea of ‘small’ or ‘a little’.
Example: The percentage of students studying science and engineering was marginally higher last year than it has been in the previous ten years.
For each sentence 1-5 circle the words in bold which are similar in meaning to big or a lot of. Underline the words in bold which are similar in meaning to small.
There is abundant evidence that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of serious injury from automobile accidents.
There was a negligible rise in unemployment in the last quarter-.
We have ample proof that the stolen money is being held in an off-shore account.
U There is a marked difference between urban and rural areas in terms of job losses.
There was a modest increase in exam pass rates last year.
j Exam tip: In the Writing exam you should also indicate how certain you are about the
j facts and opinions you present.
If you want to express a high degree of certainty, use words like conclusive.
Exampip: 4stsonomeee were eble to Dreeent concluuiseeviVence enineree is sxpandinn.
; If you want to express doubt, use words like apparently.
j Example: He was apparently calm when he discovered the damage to his car:
For each senfence 1 -5 circle the word or expression in italics t ha t makes the strong er claim.
Based on the evidence available to date, we have come to the tentative/definitive conclusion that smaller class sizes improved pupils’ educational attainment.
The evidence that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer is undisputed/strong.
It has been reported/confirmed that the royal wedding will take place in August.
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