1. GRADABLE and NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
Adjectives describe qualities (characteristics) of nouns. Most adjectives
have a meaning which can be made stronger or weaker; these are called
gradable adjectives .
e.g.: rather hot, hot, very hot, hotter, the hottest.
Other adjectives have a meaning which is extreme or absolute and cannot
easily be made stronger or weaker; these are called ungradable adjectives .
e.g.: freezing, dead, unique.
Not all adjectives can be used with all adverbs as adverbs can also be divided
into grading and non-grading adverbs .
Don't try to learn lists of gradable and non-gradable adjectives. It's
better to understand what makes an adjective gradable or non-gradable. This
is a matter of logic and common sense. Most native-speakers have never
heard of gradable and non-gradable adjectives. They just feel that it doesn't
make sense to say very unique or very freezing.

2. GRADABLE and NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
Gradable adjectives represent a point on a scale. Ungradable adjectives
represent the limits of a scale.
Ungradable
adjectives
free
freezing
vast/enormous
cold
large
hot
small
boiling
minute/tiny
(limit of the scale)
very cheap
cheap
Gradable
adjectives
not very cheap
a bit expensive
expensive
very expensive
Ungradable
adjectives
(limit of the scale)
priceless

3. GRADING ADVERBS and GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
We can make comparative and superlative forms from all gradable adjectives.
e.g.: less expensive than; much cheaper.
However, ungradable adjectives are not usually used in comparatives and
superlatives.
e.g.: The Ming vases are more priceless than the Egyptian mummies.
Gradable adjectives can be used with grading adverbs (such as very or
extremely ) that vary the adjective's grade or intensity, that is, they say if a
thing or person has more or less of a particular quality.
Grading adverbs
Gradable adjectives
a bit, dreadfully, extremely, hugely,
immensely, intensely, rather,
reasonably, slightly, very, somewhat,
bitterly, pretty, highly, terribly
angry, big, busy, clever, common,
deep, fast, friendly, happy,
important, low, popular, quiet, rich,
strong, weak, young
e.g.: She was extremely rich.
e.g.: The people there are reasonably friendly.

4. NON-GRADING ADVERBS and NON-GRADABLE
ADJECTIVES
Ungradable adjectives describe qualities that cannot vary in intensity or
grade because they are:
- extremes: freezing
- absolutes: dead
- classifying: nuclear
Ungradable adjectives are not used with adverbs such as very or extremely
because we don't usually imagine degrees of the quality referred to. We can
use adverbs which emphasise their extreme or absolute nature such as
completely or simply . Adverbs such as almost or exclusively, which
indicate the extent of the quality, are commonly used with classifying
Non-grading adverbs
adjectives.
absolutely, completely, entirely,
perfectly, practically, simply, totally,
utterly, virtually; almost, exclusively,
fully, largely, mainly, nearly, primarily
Non-gradable adjectives
awful, excellent, huge, impossible,
superb, terrible, unique, unknown,
whole; domestic, environmental,
nuclear
e.g.: She gave us a completely impossible problem to solve
e.g.: It was absolutely superb.

5. BOTH GRADING and NON-GRADING ADVERBS
The adverbs fairly (= a large degree, but usually less than very), really (= very
much) and pretty (= similar to fairly but used in informal contexts) are
commonly used with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives.
e.g.: She's fairly popular at school.
/
It was a fairly awful film.
e.g.: I'm really busy at the moment. / The flooding was really terrible.
e.g.: It's a pretty important exam.
/
The bill was pretty huge.
However, notice that we don't generally use fairly with gradable adjectives
such as perfect, superb or wonderful which indicate that something is very
good or necessary.
With gradable adjectives quite usually means fairly (although it can have
other meanings depending on stress and intonation). With ungradable
adjectives quite means completely, emphasising the strength of the
adjective.
e.g.: The lecture was quite interesting.
e.g.: The tenor's performance was quite amazing.

6. BOTH GRADABLE and NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
Some adjectives have both gradable and non-gradable senses.
- Some adjectives (civil, clean, critical, electric, empty false, late, odd,
original, particular, straight, etc.) have different senses when they
are gradable and non-gradable.
e.g.: The house is very old. (= existed many years, gradable)
e.g.: I met my old politics professor yesterday. (= former, ungrad.)
e.g.: Smith is a very common name. (= frequently found, gradable)
e.g.: We have a lot of common interests. (= shared, non-gradable)
- When nationality adjectives are non-gradable we mean that a person
or thing comes from a particular country; when they are gradable we
mean that they have characteristics of that country.
e.g.: There's a shop around the corner that sells Italian bread .
e.g.: He has lived in Britain for 20 years, but he's still very Italian.

7. BOTH GRADABLE and NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
- Some adjectives have similar meanings when they are gradable and
non-gradable. However, when they are gradable we talk about the
quality that a person or thing has; and when they are non-gradable we
talk about the category or type they belong to (classifying adjectives).
e.g.: They had a very public argument. (= seen/heard by a lot of
people, gradable)
e.g.: He was forced to resign by public presssure. (= from many
people in the community, non-gradable)
e.g.: I don't know where he came from, but he sounded slightly
foreign. (= not from this country, gradable)
e.g.: She is now advising on the government's foreign policy.
(= concernig other countries, non-gradable)
(Some of these adjectives are academic, adult, diplomatic, genuine,
guilty, human, innocent, mobile, private, scientific, technical, true)

8. 1. Put each adjective into the correct box below. Each box will
contain ten adjectives .
amazing attractive
cold correct
dead enormous
exciting
expensive extinct
fascinating
freezing
good
ugly
interesting
huge
large
minute paralysed
shy
sick
Gradable adjectives
Non-gradable adjectives

9. GRADABLE vs. NON-GRADABLE ACTIVITIES
1. Put each adjective into the correct box below. Each box will
contain ten adjectives .
amazing attractive
cold correct
dead enormous
exciting
expensive extinct
fascinating
freezing
good
ugly
interesting
huge
large
minute paralysed
shy
sick
Gradable adjectives
Non-gradable adjectives
Attractive,
cold,
exciting,
expensive,
good,
ugly,
interesting,
large,
shy,
sick
Amazing,
correct,
dead,
enormous,
extinct,
fascinating,
freezing,
huge,
minute,
paralysed

10. GRADABLE vs. NON-GRADABLE ACTIVITIES
2. Use the adverbs below to rewrite each sentence, making it
either stronger or weaker according to the instructions. Use each
word once only.
virtually
very somewhat
a bit
highly
absolutely fabulously fairly
1. (weaker) These days mobile phones are cheap.
2. (weaker) Be careful changing gear; the gearstick’s stiff.
3. (weaker) The inscription on the tomb was unreadable.
4. (weaker) Many of the Inca religious ceremonies were bloodthirsty.
5. (stronger) Jane’s flat was freezing last night.
6. (stronger) This new computer game sounds interesting.
7. (stronger) Hillary’s new boyfriend is rich.
8. (stronger) Victory in our next game seems unlikely.

11. 2. Use the adverbs below to rewrite each sentence, making it
either stronger or weaker according to the instructions. Use each
word once only.
virtually
very somewhat
a bit
highly
absolutely fabulously fairly
1. (weaker) These days mobile phones are FAIRLY (pretty) cheap.
2. (weaker) Be careful changing gear; the gearstick’s A BIT stiff.
3. (weaker) The inscription on the tomb was (somewhat) VIRTUALLY
unreadable.
4. (weaker) Many of the Inca religious ceremonies were SOMEWHAT
bloodthirsty.
5. (stronger) Jane’s flat was ABSOLUTELY freezing last night.
6. (stronger) This new computer game sounds VERY interesting.
7. (stronger) Hillary’s new boyfriend is FABULOUSLY rich.
8. (stronger) Victory in our next game seems HIGHLY unlikely.

12. GRADABLE vs. NON-GRADABLE ACTIVITIES
3. Five of these sentences contain mistakes with the adverbs and
adjectives.
1. Iceland is colder than Sweden.
2. Casualties during the Crimean War were very enormous.
3. Steve’s new girlfriend is very attractive.
4. Clients are advised that Miami tends to be more boiling than Los Angeles
during the winter months.
5. Milan cathedral is slightly huge.
6. In many areas of Europe the wolf is virtually extinct.
7. Last night’s episode was really gripping.
8. I can’t stand that actor; he’s absolutely ugly.
9. The club’s very empty for a Saturday night.
10. It’s slightly free to get in; less than one Euro, in fact.

13. 3. Five of these sentences contain mistakes with the adverbs and
adjectives.
1. Iceland is colder than Sweden.
2. Casualties during the Crimean War were very enormous.
3. Steve’s new girlfriend is very attractive.
4. Clients are advised that Miami tends to be more boiling HOTTER than Los
Angeles during the winter months.
5. Milan cathedral is slightly huge.
6. In many areas of Europe the wolf is virtually extinct.
7. Last night’s episode was really gripping.
8. I can’t stand that actor; he’s absolutely ugly.
9. The club’s very empty for a Saturday night.
10. It’s slightly free to get in; less than one Euro, in fact.

14. GRADABLE vs. NON-GRADABLE ACTIVITIES
4. Choose the most appropriate adverb to fill each gap.
1. Jim hates speaking in public, he’s ………………… shy.
a. absolutely
b. completely
c. painfully
2. The Wimbledon final was ………………. exciting.
a. absolutely
b. utterly
c. terribly
3. Your new bracelet’s beautiful. It looks ………………. expensive.
a. very
b. completely
c. absolutely
4. I think I’d better lie down, I feel ……………… sick.
a. practically
b. a little bit
c. virtually
5. Yes, sir. You are …………………… correct. I’ll give you a refund.
a. quite
b. very
c. rather
6. Since the accident Clive has been ………………… paralysed.
a. totally
b. absolutely
c. very
7. After a month with no rain the grass is ......................... dead.
a. slightly
b. almost
c. somewhat
8. I wasn’t expecting much but, surprisingly, the play was …………… good.
a. nearly
b. absolutely
c. quite

15. 4. Choose the most appropriate adverb to fill each gap.
1. Jim hates speaking in public, he’s ………………… shy.
a. absolutely
b. completely
c. painfully
2. The Wimbledon final was ………………. exciting.
a. absolutely
b. utterly
c. terribly
3. Your new bracelet’s beautiful. It looks ………………. expensive.
a. very
b. completely
c. absolutely
4. I think I’d better lie down, I feel ……………… sick.
a. practically
b. a little bit
c. virtually
5. Yes, sir. You are …………………… correct. I’ll give you a refund.
a. quite
b. very
c. rather
6. Since the accident Clive has been ………………… paralysed.
a. totally
b. absolutely
c. very
7. After a month with no rain the grass is ......................... dead.
a. slightly
b. almost
c. somewhat
8. I wasn’t expecting much but, surprisingly, the play was …………… good.
a. nearly
b. absolutely
c. quite