Focusing Modifiers

Highlight, limit, or emphasize a particular part of a clause, typically the element they “focus” on:

Focus Modifier	Lexical Category	Function	Example Sentence
only	Adverb	Focuses head/constituent by excluding others	Only students passed the exam.
even	Adverb	Highlights surprising or extreme focus	Even John managed to solve the problem.
also	Adverb	Marks inclusion; adds emphasis	Alice also came to the party.
too	Adverb	Marks addition or parallel focus	Bob came too.
mainly	Adverb	Restricts focus to primary/dominant element	The discussion focused mainly on grammar.
merely	Adverb	Restricts focus; signals minimality	He was merely a bystander.
just	Adverb	Restricts focus to exactly the head; emphasizes	I spoke to just one student.
exactly	Adverb	Specifies precise focus; emphasizes correctness	She is exactly the person we need.
particularly	Adverb	Highlights head as especially noteworthy	I liked the ending, particularly the last scene.
even just	Adverbial phrase	Combines extremity and restriction	Even just one mistake can be fatal.
both	Determiner / Quantifier	Emphasizes all items in a set	Both students passed the exam.
neither	Determiner / Quantifier	Focuses on exclusion; none of the options	Neither answer is correct.
all	Determiner / Quantifier	Emphasizes totality	All participants completed the survey.
very	Adjective / Intensifier	Emphasizes head adjective or noun	She is the very person we need.
only just	Adverbial phrase	Restricts focus and emphasizes timing/degree	He only just managed to finish on time.
above all	Adverbial phrase	Signals principal focus	Above all, we must stay calm.
chiefly	Adverb	Signals primary focus	The event was attended chiefly by students.
largely	Adverb	Restricts focus to predominant element	The work was largely completed.
solely	Adverb	Restrictive focus	The decision was made solely by the manager.
primarily	Adverb	Highlights the main focus	The discussion was primarily about grammar.
exactly only	Adverbial phrase	Emphasizes precise restriction	Exactly only one answer is correct.
just also	Adverbial phrase	Marks addition with restriction	Just also the teacher knew the answer.

CGEL-style observations

Internal attachment: All of these focus modifiers attach internally to a phrase head (NP, AP, VP), not as external adjuncts.

Majority are adverbs: mainly, merely, just, exactly, even, also, too are all lexical adverbs functioning as focus modifiers.

Determiners / quantifiers: both, neither, all are phrasal heads that carry focus inherently.

Adjectives / intensifiers: very can function as a focus modifier of a nominal or adjectival head.

Semantic function: Most either restrict, highlight, or emphasize the head they modify.