almost

«almost» in Mova's school dictionary: very nearly but not completely: «It is almost ten o'clock» — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

adverb

meaning for a pupil

1) Almost means very nearly but not completely: «It is almost ten o'clock». tree →

2) Almost can mean that something nearly happened but did not: «I almost fell». tree →

sense in the lessons

In maths, «almost» signals a number just below another: «almost 100» could be 98 or 99, not 100 or more; in estimating, «almost» helps round. In stories and safety, «almost» shows a close call: «The car almost hit him». Phrases: «almost always», «almost never», «almost all», «almost there».

examples

• It is almost bedtime. tree →
• I almost forgot my homework. tree →
• We are almost there! tree →
• Almost all the children came to the party. tree →
• The jar is almost empty. tree →
• She almost fell off the wall. tree →
• I almost never eat sweets. tree →
• The answer is almost 50 — it's 49. tree →
• You have made me almost lame!” tree →

note

«Almost» = nearly; it means less than the full amount, never more. Place it before the verb or word it describes: «I almost won». Do not write «allmost». «Most» alone means the biggest part; «almost» means nearly.

In the corpora

• These things are worrying, but they are almost never anyone's fault at home, and most families get through them.
• A scratch card is a quick lottery ticket; the "almost won" feeling is designed to make people buy another.
• Words like "kind, clever and creative" fit almost anyone, so they tell you nothing about you.
• Almost everyone can learn to dance with practice and by listening for the beat, the steady pulse of the music.
• Almost everything people make was designed by someone: chairs, signs, logos, books, phones, bags and clothes.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «almost» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.