Gradable and Non-gradable Adjectives Adjectives describe qualities (characteristics) of nouns.

Some qualities can vary in intensity or grade (for example: rather hot, hot, very hot hot, hotter, the hottest). !he adjective hot is gradable.

"ther qualities cannot vary in intensity or grade because they are: a. extremes (for example: free#ing) b. absolutes (for example: dead) c. classifying (for example: nuclear)

!he adjectives freezing, dead and nuclear are non-gradable.

Gradable Adjectives

A gradable adjective can be used $ith %grading adverbs% that vary the adjective&s grade or intensity. 'oo( at these examples: grading adverbs a little, dreadfully, extremely, fairly, hugely, immensely, intensely, rather, reasonably, slightly, unusually, very ) gradable adjectives angry, big, busy, clever, cold, deep, fast, friendly, good, happy, high, hot, important, long, popular, rich, strong, tall, $arm, $ea(, young

A gradable adjective can also have comparative and superlative forms: EC Tip: %*radable adjectives% are also called %qualitative adjectives%. %*rading adverbs% are also called %submodifiers%.

big, bigger, the biggest hot, hotter, the hottest important, more important, the most important

'oo( at these example sentences:

+y teacher $as very happy $ith my home$or(. !hat $ebsite is reasonably popular. ,ut this one is more popular. -e said that -olland $as a little cold and .enmar( $as rather cold. ,ut S$eden $as the coldest.

EC Tip: !he adjective dead is non/gradable because it is an absolute. .ead is dead. 0e cannot be more or less dead. "ne person cannot be %deader% than another. "ther absolutes include: correct, unique, perfect
Non-gradable Adjectives

A non/gradable adjective cannot be used $ith grading adverbs:

1t $as rather free#ing outside. !he dog $as very dead. -e is investing in slightly nuclear energy.

2on/gradable adjectives do not normally have comparative and superlative forms:

free#ing, more free#ing, the most free#ing dead, deader, the deadest nuclear, more nuclear, the most nuclear

"ften, non/gradable adjectives are used alone: EC Tip: .on&t try to learn lists of gradable and non/gradable adjectives3 1t&s better to understand $hat ma(es an adjective gradable or non/gradable. !his is a matter of logic and common sense. +ost native/spea(ers have never heard of gradable and non/gradable adjectives. !hey just %feel% that it doesn&t ma(e sense to say %fairly excellent% or %very unique%. 4ou probably have the same idea in your language.

1t $as freezing outside. !he dog $as dead. -e is investing in nuclear energy.

-o$ever, a non/gradable adjective can be used $ith %non/grading adverbs% ($hich usually just give the adjective extra impact), for example: non-grading adverbs non-gradable adjectives absolutely utterly completely totally nearly a$ful excellent terrified dead impossible absolute extreme

virtually essentially mainly almost

unique chemical digital domestic classifying

-ere are some example sentences $ith non/gradable adjectives:

-er exam results $ere absolutely awful. She $ill have to ta(e the exam again. 1s there anything li(e it in the $orld5 1t must be virtually unique. 1t starts an essentially chemical reaction.

Adjectives that can be gradable and non-gradable

Some adjectives may have more than one meaning or sense. 1t&s possible for the same adjective to be gradable $ith one sense and non/gradable $ith another sense. 6or example: adjective -e&s got a very old car. 1 sa$ my old boyfriend yesterday. -e has some dreadfully common habits. %!he% is a very common $ord in 7nglish. gradable common = not young

non/gradable former, ex/ gradable gradable vulgar prevalent shared

!he t$o countries& common border poses problems. non/gradable

Adverbs used with gradable and non-gradable adjectives

!he adverbs really (very much) and fairly and pretty (both meaning %to a significant degree, but less than very%) can often be used $ith gradable and non/gradable adjectives: gradable 8lease don&t forget3 1t&s really important. -e&s a fairly rich man. -e&s pretty tall. non-gradable -e $as really terrified. 1t&s a fairly impossible job. 1t&s pretty ridiculous $hen you thin( about it.

"Quite" with gradable and non-gradable adjectives

!he meaning of the adverb %quite% changes according to the type of adjective $e use it $ith: adjective 1t&s quite warm today. gradable quite = fairly, rather

Are you quite certain5 non/gradable completely, absolutely

Reference

Non-gradable adjectives Although $e don&t recommend that you learn lists of non/gradable adjectives, here are some for reference. 4ou can decide for yourself $hether they are extreme, absolute or classifying. alive, a$ful, blac(, boiling, certain, correct, dead, domestic, enormous, environmental, excellent, free#ing, furious, gigantic, huge, immediately, impossible, miniscule, mortal, overjoyed, perfect, pregnant, principal, ridiculous, superb, terrible, terrified, unique, un(no$n, $hite, $hole Non-grading adverbs Again, no need to learn lists. -ere are a fe$ examples. !here are many more. 9emember that you cannot use all non/grading adverbs $ith all non/gradable adjectives. Some collocate (go together). Some don&t. absolutely, almost, completely, entirely, exclusively, fully, largely, mainly, nearly, perfectly, practically, primarily, utterly, virtually