Language/English/Vocabulary/Almost-and-nearly;-practically
Progress, measurement and counting
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
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
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
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
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.