1

+ VERY
extremely/fairly/ + ABSOLUTELY
quite completely/totally/utterly/
quite
UNGRADABLE
GRADABLE = have NO comparative
= have comparative and and superlative
superlative forms
big bigger the biggest absolutely huge
good better the best completely terrified
totally incredible
very big quite perfect
extremely afraid
fairly surprising quite crazy = absolutely
quite good quite astonishing
quite filthy

He's quite
(=absolutely)
right.
-stress on RIGHT falling intonation
+ very + absolutely
quite BASE ADJECTIVE STRONG ADJECTIVE
The book's good. (= not very)
-stress on QUITE rising intonation afraid terrified, petrified
angry furious, livid
attractive gorgeous, wonderful
bad awful, horrible
beautiful fantastic, gorgeous
big huge, enormous,
gigantic, gargantuan
clever brilliant
cold freezing
difficult impossible Strong adj. are
dirty filthy adj. with an
funny hilarious ABSOLUTE
good fantastic, great, meaning. They
are also called
superb LIMIT or
happy delighted, thrilled EXTREME adj.
hot boiling, scalding
hungry starving, famished
interested fascinated
interesting fascinating
old ancient
sad inconsolable, grief-
stricken
An absolutely
silly crazy, stupid
fantastic star for small tiny, minute
you. surprising astonishing
tasteless horrible, disgusting
tasty delicious
tired exhausted, worn-out
unreasonable absurd
unhappy miserable
wet soaked
JUFA

JUFA
 2

Base and strong adjectives

VI. Strong adjectives are ungradable adjectives with an absolute meaning.

very / quite / fairly/rather/extremely + base adj. (very big , quite cold , fairly old ,..)

absolutely / completely / totally / utterly + strong adj. (absolutely enormous ,

completely freezing , totally miserable, .........)

Base adj. Strong adj.

1. big ________________ / ____________________ / ________________
2. cold ___________________
3. important ____________________ / _________________
4. worried _____________________
5. unhappy _______________________
6. tired _____________________ / ____________________
7. frightened ____________________ / ______________________
8. difficult ________________________
9. happy __________________/ _________________ / ____________
10. interesting ________________________
11. silly ________________________
12. interested _________________________
13. sad _______________________ / ___________-________________
14. clever _________________________
15. tasty ________________________

16. hungry ________________________ / ______________________

17. dirty ________________________
18. surprised ________________________ / ______________________
19. funny __________________________
20. pretty/attractive _______________________ / ________________________
21. bad ____________________ / ____________________ / _________________ / ______________
22. angry ____________________ / ___________________
23. good _______________ / ___________________ / ____________________ / __________________
24. valuable ____________________ / ____________________
25. hot _____________________ / ____________________
26. old __________________ / ______________________
27. small ___________________
 3

KEY

1. big huge / enormous/ gigantic

2. cold freezing / perishing
3. important crucial / vital
4. worried frantic
5. unhappy miserable
6. tired exhausted /shattered
7. frightened terrified /petrified
8. difficult impossible
9. happy thrilled / delighted / ecstatic
10. interesting fascinating
11. silly stupid
12. interested fascinated
13. sad inconsolable / grief-stricken
14. clever brilliant
15. tasty delicious
16. hungry starving / famished
17. dirty filthy
18. surprised astonished / amazed
19. funny hilarious
20. pretty/attractive beautiful /gorgeous/ fabulous
21. bad horrible/awful/terrible/disgusting
22. angry furious / livid
23. good great/wonderful/fantastic/superb
24. valuable priceless / invaluable
25. hot boiling / scalding / baking
26. old ancient / antiquated
27. small tiny