Language/English/Vocabulary/Almost-and-nearly;-practically
Progress, measurement and counting[edit | edit source]
Almost and nearly can both express ideas connected with progress, measurement or counting. Nearly is less common in American English.
Examples:
- I've almost/nearly finished.
- There were almost/nearly a thousand people there.
Sometimes almost is a little 'nearer’ than nearly.
Compare:
- It’s nearly ten o ’clock. (= perhaps 9.45)
- It's almost ten o'clock. (= perhaps 9.57)
Very and pretty can be used with nearly but not almost.
Example:
- I've very/pretty nearly finished, (not . . . very almost . . .)
Other meanings[edit | edit source]
We can use almost to mean 'similar to, but not exactly the same’, and to make statements less definite. Nearly is not used like this.
Examples:
- Our cat understands everything - he's almost human. (not he's nearly human.)
- Her aunt’s got a strange accent. She almost sounds foreign. (not She nearly sounds foreign.)
- I almost wish I ’d stayed at home, (not I nearly wish)
- Jake is almost like a father to me.
never, nobody, nothing, etc[edit | edit source]
We do not usually use "nearly" before negative pronouns or adverbs like never, nobody, nothing. Instead, we use "almost", or we use "hardly" with ever, anybody, anything, etc.
Examples:
- She’s almost never / hardly ever at home, (not . . . nearly never . . .)
- Almost nobody / hardly anybody was there.
everybody, everything, anybody, anything, etc[edit | edit source]
We also prefer almost before everybody/ -one/-thing/-where, and almost is much more common than nearly before anybody/ -one/-thing/-where.
Examples:
- She likes almost everybody. Almost anybody can do this job.
- He's been almost everywhere. He eats almost anything.
Practically[edit | edit source]
Practically can be used in the same way as almost.
Examples:
- I ’ve practically finished. Jake is practically like a father to me.
- She’s practically never at home.
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