2
general::
especially/particularly
used when you want to emphasize that something concerns or affects one person or thing more than others, or is true about a particular situation more than others:
• This disease mostly affects women, particularly older women. • Paris is always full of tourists, especially in the summer. • It’s not easy to receive compliments, especially if you’re not used to them. • The surface is very slippery, particularly when it has been raining.
specially
spoken especially:
• I like parks, specially when they’ve got lakes. • You have to be careful what you say, specially if there are children listening.
in particular
especially – used before or after a noun. Often used in the phrases anyone/anything/anywhere in particular and someone/something/somewhere in particular:
• Mary loves most classical music, in particular Bach and Vivaldi. • Kids in particular will love this show. • Is there anything in particular you would like to eat? • Was there someone in particular you were hoping to meet?
notably
formal used for saying someone or something is an important example of what you are talking about:
• The use of illegal drugs – notably marijuana – has increased in recent years. • A number of respected philosophers, most notably Leibniz, criticized Newton’s theories.
above all
used for emphasizing that something is more important than all the other things you have mentioned:
• Get plenty of sleep, eat lots of good food, and above all try to relax.
most of all
more than anything or anyone else:
• Swimming and soccer are fun, but I like dancing most of all. • Out of everybody at school she was the person who helped me most of all.
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