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Gradable and Non Gradable

The document discusses gradable and non-gradable adjectives. Gradable adjectives like "cold" and "frightened" can express different degrees, while non-gradable adjectives like "married" or "wooden" do not have different degrees. Adjectives like "terrifying" and "freezing" are also non-gradable as they already imply a high degree. The document provides examples of how adverbs of degree can be used with gradable and non-gradable adjectives.

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Maria Radew-Kornacka
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745 views

Gradable and Non Gradable

The document discusses gradable and non-gradable adjectives. Gradable adjectives like "cold" and "frightened" can express different degrees, while non-gradable adjectives like "married" or "wooden" do not have different degrees. Adjectives like "terrifying" and "freezing" are also non-gradable as they already imply a high degree. The document provides examples of how adverbs of degree can be used with gradable and non-gradable adjectives.

Uploaded by

Maria Radew-Kornacka
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Gradable

Gradable adjectives are adjectives like ‘cold’ ‘hot’ and ‘frightened’. You can be very cold or a bit cold.
Gradable adjectives show that something can have different degrees.

Non-gradable
Non-gradable adjectives are adjectives like ‘married’ or ‘wooden’. You can’t be very married or a bit
married. Non-gradable adjectives do not have different degrees.

Adjectives like ‘terrifying’, ‘freezing’ ‘amazing’ are also non-gradable adjectives. They already contain
the idea of ‘very’ in their definitions – ‘freezing’ means ‘very cold’ etc.

Using adverbs of degree


When we use adverbs of degree to modify adjectives we usually have to use different adverbs for
gradable and non-gradable adjectives.

NOT I’m completely hot.

NOT It was very fantastic!

With gradable adjectives


It’s a bit cold in here. Shall I turn the fire on?

He’s very interested in history. Why don’t you buy him a history book?

This exercise is really difficult. I don’t know any of the answers.

I’m extremely tired. I’m going to bed.

The adverbs a bit, very, really, extremely and quite can all be used with gradable adjectives.

With non-gradable adjectives


It’s absolutely freezing in here. Shall I turn the fire on?

He’s completely fascinated by history. Why don’t you buy him a history book?

This exercise is absolutely impossible.

That film is really terrifying. Don’t go and see it on your own.

The adverbs absolutely and completely can be used with non-gradable adjectives.

Notice that really can be used with both gradable AND non-gradable adjectives.
Cross out the wrong option.

1. It's a(n) absolutely / really / very nice day, isn't it?

2. I thought the film was absolutely / quite / extremely amazing.

3. It's absolutely / very / really marvellous news.

4. The forecast is looking pretty / quite / totally promising.

5. We were really / totally / very unlucky at the races.

6. I'm getting absolutely / quite / really bored with this book.

7. She was extremely / pretty / totally amazed to see him there.

8. We got really / totally / very soaked in the rain.

9. He's absolutely / extremely / pretty clever for his age.

10. Her first day at work was extremely / pretty / quite disastrous.

11. We had a really / totally / very pleasant day by the seaside.

12. They were really / totally / very astonished at the news.

Match the gradable adjectives on the left with their strong equivalents on the right.

1. angry a ecstatic

2. embarrassed b starving

3. excited c astonished

4. frightened d exhausted

5. happy e thrilled

6. hungry f mortified

7. interested g delighted

8. pleased h fascinated

9. shocked i devastated

10. surprised j furious

11. tired k horrified

12. upset l terrified

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