Gradable and Upgradable Adjectives
Gradable and Upgradable Adjectives
Gradable and Upgradable Adjectives
Gradable adjectives can be used with adverbs such as very or extremely to say that a
thing or person has more or less of a particular quality. Ungradable adjectives
themselves imply “to a large degree” and are seldom used with these adverbs. Instead,
we can use adverbs such as absolutely or totally.
Examples:
Notice that not all the adverbs given can go with all the adjectives given. For example, we
wouldn’t usually say “completely essential”. Really and pretty can be used with both gradable
and ungradable adjectives.
Adverbs:
We use extremely, very, etc. with gradable adjectives and absolutely, completely, etc. with
ungradable adjectives. Here are more adverbs like these and adjectives which commonly
follow them:
When two gradable adjectives come before the noun, we can put either a comma or and
between them. Compare:
Two ungradable adjectives have and between them if they are from the same class, but and is
not used if they are from different classes. Compare:
A B
3. Use an adverb + adjective in your response, as in 1. (A) How would you feel if:
1 a friend said s/he had just won a million pounds? I’d be absolutely delighted.
2 your best friend told you s/he was emigrating to Australia?
3 someone broke a window in your house or flat?
4 a complete stranger told you that you were very beautiful/handsome?
5 you lost some airline tickets you had just bought?
4. Do you know which of these adverbs can come before each set of adjectives? The adverb
you choose must be able to come before all three adjectives in the set.
a. Our holiday was too short. The time passed very ___________________.
b. Steve doesn’t take risks when he’s driving. He’s always ___________________.
c. Sue works ___________________. She never seems to stop.
d. Rachel and Patrick are very ___________________ married.
e. Maria’s English is very ___________________ although she makes quite a lot of
mistakes.
f. I cooked this meal ___________________ for you, so I hope you like it.
g. Everything was very quiet. There was ___________________ silence.
h. I tried on the shoes and they fitted me ___________________.
i. Do you usually feel ___________________ before examinations?
j. I’d like to buy a car, but it’s ___________________ impossible for me at the
moment.
3. Choose two words (one from each box) to complete each sentence:
5. Are the underlined words right or wrong? Correct them where necessary:
a. I’m tired because I’ve been working hard.
b. I tried hard to remember her name, but I couldn’t.
c. This coat is practically unused. I’ve hardly worn it.
d. Judy is a good tennis player. She hits the ball hardly.
e. Don’t walk so fast! I can’t keep up with you.
f. I had plenty of time, so I was walking slow.