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Some qualities can vary in intensity or grade (for example: rather hot,
hot, very hot; hot, hotter, the hottest).
The adjective hot is gradable.
+ gradable adjectives
angry, big, busy, clever, cold, deep, fast, friendly, good,
happy, high, hot, important, long, popular, rich, strong,
tall, warm, weak, young
He said that Holland was a little cold and Denmark was rather cold. But Sweden was the coldest.
N.B. The adjective dead is non-gradable because it is an absolute. Dead is dead. We cannot be more or less
dead. One person cannot be "deader" than another. Other absolutes include: correct, unique, perfect
Compiled and edited by Ly Hong Danh
Non-gradable Adjectives
A non-gradable adjective cannot be used with grading adverbs:
However, a non-gradable adjective can be used with "non-grading adverbs" (which usually just give the
adjective extra impact), for example:
non-grading adverbs
non-gradable adjectives
absolutely
awful
utterly
excellent
completely
terrified
totally
dead
nearly
impossible
virtually
unique
essentially
chemical
mainly
digital
almost
domestic
common =
gradable
not young
non-gradable
former, ex-
gradable
vulgar
gradable
prevalent
non-gradable
shared
non-gradable
quite =
gradable
fairly, rather
non-gradable
completely, absolutely
Reference
Non-gradable adjectives
Although we don't recommend that you learn lists of non-gradable adjectives, here are some for reference.
You can decide for yourself whether they are extreme, absolute or classifying.
alive, awful, black, boiling, certain, correct, dead, domestic, enormous, environmental, excellent, freezing,
furious, gigantic, huge, immediate, impossible, miniscule, mortal, overjoyed, perfect, pregnant, principal,
ridiculous, superb, terrible, terrified, unique, unknown, white, whole
Non-grading adverbs
Tiny
Again, no need to learn lists. 1.
HereCold
are a few examples. There are many A.
more.
Remember that you cannot
2.
Hot
B.
Starving
use all non-grading adverbs with all non-gradable adjectives. Some collocate (go together). Some don't.
3. Tired
C. Fantastic/Great/marvellous
6. Big
7. Clean
8. Funny
9. Angry
10.Good
11.Pretty/Beautiful
12.Ugly
13.Surprising
14.Frightened/Scared
15.Tasty
16.Difficult
17.Interesting
18.Old
19.Hungry
F. Impossible
G. Terrified
H. Astounding/Amazing
I. Hilarious
J. Huge/Gigantic
K. Exhausted/Shattered
L. Spotless
M. Boiling
N. Filthy
O. Freezing
P. Ancient
Q. Fascinating
R. Hideous
S. Furious
best choice.
I am