Types of Adverbs: Adverbs of Certainty

There are different types of adverbs in the English language. Adverbs of certainty express how certain we feel about an action or event. The most common frequency adverbs are definitely, probably, certainly, and surely.

Rule 1: We usually place adverbs of certainty before the main verb unless the main verb is to be. In this case, the adverb of certainty goes after.

Rule 2: If there is an auxiliary verb in a sentence, we place the adverb of certainty between the auxiliary and the main verb.

Rule 3: Sometimes, we can place certain adverbs of certainty (undoubtedly, probably, certainly) at the beginning of the sentence.

Note: When we place the adverb of certainty surely at the beginning of a sentence, it expresses that one thinks something is true but is looking for confirmation.