almost

Universal Words adverb not quite; SYNNEARLY: I like almost all of them. * It's a mistake they almost always make. * The story is almost certainly false. * It's almost time to go. * Dinner's almost ready. * He slipped and almost fell. * Their house is almost opposite ours. * They'll eat almost anything. * Almost no one (hardly anyone) believed him. ______________________________ WHICHWORD? almost / nearly / practically These three words have similar meanings and are used frequently with the following words: almost ~ nearly ~ practically ~ certainly (numbers) all all all every every always no entirely every nothing impossible finished impossible empty died anything They are used in positive sentences: She almost/nearly/practically missed her train. They can be used before words like all, every and everybody: Nearly all the students have bikes. * I've got practically every CD they've made. Practically is used more in spoken than in written English. Nearly is the most common with numbers: There were nearly 200 people at the meeting. They can also be used in negative sentences but it is more common to make a positive sentence with only just: We only just got there in time. (or: We almost/nearly didn't get there in time.) Almost and practically can be used before words like any, anybody, anything, etc.: I'll eat almost anything. You can also use them before no, nobody, never, etc. but it is much more common to use hardly or scarcely with any, anybody, ever, etc.: She's hardly ever in. (or: She's almost never in.) Almost can be used when you are saying that one thing is similar to another: The boat looked almost like a toy. In BrE you can use very and so before nearly: He was very nearly caught. -<noteatHARDLY ______________________________