Adjectives – gradable and non-gradable
So, How to use adjectives in phrases like a bit cold, really cold and absolutely freezing?
Look at these examples to see into explanation of how gradable and non-gradable adjectives are used.
1- It's really cold.
2- It's absolutely freezing.
3- This exercise is really difficult.
4- This exercise is completely impossible.
Explanation.
A- Gradable adjectives.
Most adjectives are gradable. This means we can have different levels of that quality. For example, you can be a bit cold, very cold or extremely cold. We can make them weaker or stronger with modifiers:
these examples to see into explanation
1- She was quite angry when she found out.
2- The film we saw last night was really funny!
3- It can be extremely cold in Russia in the winter.
Here is a list of some common gradable adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.
Modifiers a little/a bit → pretty/quite → really/very → extremely
Adjectives angry, big, boring, cheap, cold, expensive, frightening, funny, hot, interesting, old, pretty, small, tasty, tired, etc.
B- Non-gradable: absolute adjectives
Some adjectives are non-gradable. For example, something can't be a bit finished or very finished. You can't be a bit dead or very dead. These adjectives describe absolute qualities. To make them stronger we have to use modifiers like absolutely, totally or completely:
These examples to see into explanation
1-Thank you, I love it! It's absolutely perfect!
2- Their farm was totally destroyed by a tornado.
3- My work is completely finished. Now I can relax.
Here is a list of some common absolute adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.
Modifiers absolutely/totally/completely
Adjectives acceptable, dead, destroyed, finished, free, impossible, necessary, perfect, ruined, unacceptable, etc.
C- Non-gradable: extreme adjectives
Adjectives like amazing, awful and boiling are also non-gradable. They already contain the idea of 'very' in their definitions. If we want to make extreme adjectives stronger, we have to use absolutely or really:
See some Examples to explanation more.
1-Did you see the final match? It was absolutely amazing!
2- After 32 hours of travelling, they were absolutely exhausted.
3- My trip home was really awful. First, traffic was really bad, then the car broke down and we had to walk home in the rain.
Here is a list of some common extreme adjectives and some modifiers that we can use with them.
Modifiers absolutely/really
Adjectives amazing, ancient, awful, boiling, delicious, enormous, excellent, exhausted, fascinating, freezing, gorgeous, terrible, terrifying, tiny, etc.
amage taken from google amage