Adverbs of Certainty

ADVERBS OF CERTAINTY

Adverbs of certainty express how certain or sure we feel about an action or event.

Usage

Common adverbs of certainty:

certainly, definitely, probably, undoubtedly, surely

1. Adverbs of certainty go before the main verb but after the verb 'to be':

• He definitely left the house this morning.
• He is probably in the park.

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

• He has certainly forgotten the meeting.
• He will probably remember tomorrow.

3. 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:

• Surely you've got a bicycle?