Grammar Day: Gradable and Non-gradable Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe the qualities (characteristics) of other words. They add a lot of interesting meaning to what you are saying. When you want to describe something that has different degrees of quality, you use gradable adjectives!

Gradable

Most adjectives are gradable, such as ‘cold’ ‘hot’ and ‘expensive’. Gradable adjectives show that something can have different degrees – this means that their meaning can be modified (made stronger, weaker, or otherwise altered) by placing one or more adverbs in front of them.

For example:

• an expensive jacket
• a very expensive jacket
• a fairly expensive jacket
• an extremely expensive jacket

• I am a bit cold. Can I turn the fire on?
• I am very interested in taking this course.
• Yesterday’s test was extremely difficult.

Non-gradable

Non-gradable adjectives are like ‘married’ or ‘wooden’ – they describe qualities that are completely present or completely absent. They do not have different degrees. You cannot be very married or a a bit married.
Adjectives like ‘excellent’ ‘awful’ and ‘freezing’ are also non-gradable adjectives. They already contain the idea of ‘very’ — ‘freezing’ means very cold etc.

For example:

NON-GRADING ADVERBS	NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES
absolutely	awful	extreme
utterly	excellent
completely	terrified
totally	dead	absolute
nearly	impossible
virtually	unique
essentially	chemical	classifying
mainly	digital
almost	domestic

• It is freezing in here!
• The food was awful. I do not recommend it.
• My exam results were absolutely terrible. I have to re-take my exam next week.
• He is completely fascinated by your story.
• That movie is really terrifying.

* The adverbs absolutely and completely can be used with non-gradable adjectives. Notice that really can be used with both gradable AND non-gradable adjectives.
* NOTE: there are many other adjectives and adverbs that we didn’t cover in this article.

Complete the sentences with an appropriate adverb!

very / really / absolutely / completely / a bit

1. Have you seen this movie? It’s ______ amazing!
2. Come to the welcome party next week. It will be ______ fantastic.
3. What an ______ gorgeous shirt!
4. Sorry. I will be ______ late.
5. I speak ______ good Spanish but my French is terrible.

Source: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org, https://en.oxforddictionaries.com, https://www.englishclub.com/