In the question "Are you nearly ready for the party?", what part of speech is the word "nearly"?

The word "nearly" functions as an adverb in the sentence "Are you nearly ready for the party?". Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs by providing more information about how, when, where, or to what extent something occurs. In this instance, "nearly" describes the extent to which the subject (you) is "ready" for the party, indicating that they are close to being ready but not quite there yet.

By modifying the adjective "ready," "nearly" enhances the meaning by expressing a degree of readiness. This distinguishes "nearly" as an adverb rather than a noun, adjective, or verb, all of which serve different grammatical functions in a sentence. For example, a noun would name a person, place, thing, or idea; an adjective would describe a noun; and a verb would indicate an action or state of being. Therefore, the correct identification of "nearly" as an adverb is supported by its role in providing clarity about the level of readiness being described.