Lesson 26:

Gradable & Non-Gradable Adjectives

Some adjectives in English are gradable - that means you can have different degrees
or levels of that quality. For example, the weather can be:

 a little cold
 rather cold
 very cold
 extremely cold.
Other adjectives are non-gradable – meaning we can’t have different degrees or
levels of that quality. There are three types of non-gradable adjectives.

Extreme Adjectives
Extreme adjectives are words that mean “extremely + adjective” – for example,
freezing means “extremely cold.” The weather can’t be “a little bit freezing” or “very
freezing” – because the word “freezing” itself automatically means “extremely cold.”
“Huge” means “extremely big.” Again, it’s not possible for something to be “slightly
huge” or “very huge” – the definition of the word “huge” itself is “extremely big.”

Put it into practice!

Which one is the extreme adjective?
1. bad / terrible
2. clean / spotless
3. fascinating / interesting
4. hilarious / funny
5. hungry / starving
6. ancient / old
7. exhausted / tired
8. astonishing / surprising
(Answers at the end of this document)

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Absolute Adjectives
Another type of non-gradable adjective is called an absolute adjective.
These are words that are either “yes or no.” For example, the word dead – you can’t
be “a little bit dead” or “very dead” – either YES, you are dead, or NO, you’re not
dead. Here are a few other examples:

 unique / not unique

 perfect / imperfect
 impossible / possible
 pregnant / not pregnant

Put it into practice!

Which one is the absolute adjective?
1. mysterious / unknown
2. essential / important
3. common / universal
4. equal / similar
5. ideal / useful
(Answers at the end of this document)

Classifying Adjectives
A third type of non-gradable adjective is a classifying adjective, which describes
what type or category something is:

 an electric stove or gas stove

 a daily meeting or a weekly meeting
 a wooden chair or a plastic chair
Again, we can’t have a “slightly electric stove” or a “very plastic chair.”

Put it into practice!

Which one is the classifying adjective?
1. a dangerous weapon / an atomic weapon
2. a pine tree / a tall tree

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 3. a government worker / a well-paid worker
4. a comfortable shirt / a silk shirt
5. an American tradition / an interesting tradition
(Answers at the end of this document)

Differences in using Gradable

and Non-Gradable Adjectives
1) No comparatives / superlatives with non-gradable adjectives
With regular adjectives, we can use comparatives and superlatives to compare two
or more things:

 My house is big.
 My neighbor’s house is bigger than mine.
(comparative)
 My parents’ house is the biggest house on the street.
(superlative)
 His idea is important.
 Her idea is more important.
 My idea is the most important of all.
With extreme adjectives, we usually don’t use comparatives and superlatives:

 My parents’ house is enormous.

 My parents’ house is more enormous / the most enormous.
It's the same for absolute and classifying adjectives. It's impossible for one dead
person to be "deader" than another, or for one plastic chair to be "more plastic" than
another.

2) Use different adverbs with non-gradable adjectives.

With gradable adjectives, we can use adverbs of degree like these:

 Small degree: a little, a bit, slightly

 Middle degree: fairly, rather, somewhat
 Large degree: very, extremely, immensely, intensely, hugely, quite

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For example:

 I’m rather hungry.

I’m very hungry.
 Your shoes are slightly dirty.
This room is extremely dirty.
 We’re a little tired.
We’re immensely tired.
With non-gradable adjectives, we CANNOT use these adverbs:

 I’m very starving.

 Your work is slightly perfect.
 My watch is somewhat digital.
However, we can use the adverbs absolutely, completely, and utterly to give
additional emphasis to the non-gradable adjective:

 I’m absolutely furious.

 We’re completely exhausted.
 The movie was utterly terrifying.
These are often used with extreme adjectives. With absolute and classifying
adjectives, they can be used with some, but not others:

 That’s absolutely impossible.

They’re absolutely married.
 This car is completely electric.
The conference is completely annual.
We also tend not to use absolutely, completely, or utterly with regular gradable
adjectives:

 It’s absolutely cold today.

It’s extremely cold today.
 She’s completely friendly.
She’s really friendly.
 This is utterly easy.
This is very easy.

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The more informal words pretty and really, can be used with gradable adjectives
and with SOME non-gradable adjectives – again, usually the extreme ones, but not
the absolute or classifying ones:

 This room is pretty dirty. (gradable)

 This room is pretty filthy. (extreme)
 The party is really crowded. (gradable)
 The party is really packed. (extreme)
 Those facts are really unknown.
 Those are pretty military vehicles.
Other words that can be used with some non-gradable adjectives include totally,
nearly/almost, virtually, and quite:

 He was nearly dead.

 That's totally impossible.
 This technology is virtually unique.
 This philosophy is quite universal.
You can see that these are absolute and extreme adjectives, not classifying
adjectives. With classifying adjectives, we can sometimes use the words entirely,
completely, fully, largely, and mainly to say that all or most of the things fall into
that category:

 This food is completely organic.

 This system is fully digital.
 The staff is entirely American.
 The staff is largely Chinese.
 The material is mainly cotton.
Now, with that said... these rules are not 100% and occasionally you will encounter
native speakers using combinations that don't seem to follow them, like "most
unique," “very pregnant,” "rather exhausted," or "somewhat true."

Both Gradable and Non-Gradable

A few adjectives have both gradable and non-gradable meanings:

 This is a very common problem.

common = frequently found (gradable)

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  We have a lot of common interests.
common = shared
 That vase is very old.
old = created a long time ago (gradable)
 I saw my old teacher yesterday.
old = former
Other adjectives sometimes function as a descriptive (gradable) adjective, and other
times function as an absolute or classifying adjective:

 It was a rather wild party.

(descriptive & gradable)
 A lion is a wild animal.
(classifying)
 He takes a very scientific approach in his article.
(descriptive & gradable)
 We need more funding for scientific research.
(classifying)
 She had a slightly guilty expression on her face.
(descriptive & gradable)
 The criminal was found to be guilty.
(absolute)

Put it into practice!

In which sentence can you insert the adverb?
slightly

 His accent sounded __________ foreign.

 We need to reform __________ foreign policy.
rather

 Go away. This is ___________ private property.

 He's a __________ private person.
very

 Is that a(n) _____________ original painting or a reproduction?

 That's a ____________ original idea!

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Summary
We have four types of adjectives:

 Gradable adjectives (warm, tall, comfortable)

 Extreme adjectives (freezing, tiny, ancient)
 Absolute adjectives (dead, pregnant, impossible)
 Classifying adjectives (wooden, digital, annual)
We can use adverbs of degree (slightly, rather, very) with gradable adjectives.
With extreme adjectives, we can add emphasis with absolutely, completely, and
utterly.
We can use really, fairly, and pretty with both gradable and extreme adjectives.
Other words that can be used with some non-gradable adjectives include totally,
nearly/almost, virtually, and quite.
With classifying adjectives, we can sometimes use the words entirely, completely,
fully, largely, and mainly.
Some adjectives are gradable in some situations, and non-gradable in others.
You’ve finished Lesson 26!
Now try the exercises, because practicing these combinations of adjectives is the
best way to remember them.

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Quiz – Lesson 26
Complete five of the sentences with the word very, and the other five with one of the
following words: entirely / almost / absolutely / practically / completely.
Sometimes more than one answer is possible.
1. Your explanation was ___________________________ clear; I understood everything
perfectly.
2. My neighbor drives a Ferrari. He's ___________________________ rich.
3. I was ___________________________ thrilled when I received the award.
4. The renovation of the school is ___________________________ complete - there are
only about two more weeks of work left.
5. He responded to the situation in a(n) ___________________________ immature way.
6. The whole experience was ___________________________ humiliating.
7. The medicine has some ___________________________ strong side effects.
8. Until last year, the company's board of directors was ___________________________
male.
9. The unemployment rate is ___________________________ high due to the global
economic crisis.
10. This hearing aid is so small that it's ___________________________ invisible.

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Are these sentences correct or incorrect? If they are incorrect, try to replace the adverb
with a more appropriate one. More than one right answer is possible.
1. It was an extremely horrible crime.
2. This equipment is completely valuable.
3. Our clothes were totally soaked after we got caught in a thunderstorm.
4. The customer service at that store is perfectly awful.
5. She has a very successful career as a consultant.
6. I found the lecture nearly boring.
7. The information is out of date, so it's slightly useless.
8. Unfortunately our dishwasher is rather noisy.
9. His suggestion was absolutely clever.
10. I can't talk right now - I'm a bit busy.

Writing Task
Think of something you recommend – it could be:

 a product
 a place
 an activity
 a book or film
Imagine you have been hired to write an advertisement or commercial for this thing.
Use “exaggerated” and extreme adjectives to really emphasize its wonderful aspects
and benefits. Send me your text at shayna@espressoenglish.net for feedback and
correction!

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Answers – Quiz – Lesson 26
Exercise 1:
1. Your explanation was very clear; I understood everything perfectly.
2. My neighbor drives a Ferrari. He's very rich.
3. I was absolutely thrilled when I received the award.
“completely” is also possible
4. The renovation of the school is almost complete - there are only about two
more weeks of work left. “practically” is also possible
5. He responded to the situation in a very immature way.
6. The whole experience was completely humiliating.
“absolutely” is also possible
7. The medicine has some very strong side effects.
8. Until last year, the company's board of directors was entirely male.
9. The unemployment rate is very high due to the global economic crisis.
10. This hearing aid is so small that it's practically invisible.
“almost” is also possible

Exercise 2:
1. Incorrect. Could be “absolutely” or “completely” horrible
2. Incorrect. Could be “very” or “extremely” valuable
3. Correct
4. Correct
5. Correct
6. Incorrect. Could be “rather,” “somewhat,” or “fairly” boring
7. Incorrect. Could be “completely” useless
8. Correct
9. Incorrect. Could be “very” or “extremely” clever
10. Correct

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Answers – Quizzes in Lesson
Which one is the extreme adjective?
1. terrible
2. spotless
3. fascinating
4. hilarious
5. starving
6. ancient
7. exhausted
8. astonishing
Which one is the absolute adjective?
1. unknown
2. essential
3. universal
4. equal
5. ideal
Which one is the classifying adjective?
1. an atomic weapon
2. a pine tree
3. a government worker
4. a silk shirt
5. an American tradition
In which sentence can you insert the adverb?

 His accent sounded slightly foreign.

 We need to reform foreign policy.
 Go away. This is private property.
 He's a rather private person.
 Is that an original painting or a reproduction?
 That's a very original idea!

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© Shayna Oliveira 2014