gradable / non-gradable adjectives

This a subject I have managed to avoid teaching until last week, when I was 'forced' to have a closer look at it. I really don't think that it is a very important subject, but as I have all the information I might as well share it with you. OK. So you have 2 kinds of adjectives: gradable and non-gradable.

Gradable adjectives

These are adjectives that describe qualities that can be measured in degrees, such as size, beauty, age, etc.

They can be used

1) in comparative and superlative forms

2) with grading adverbs (such as 'very' or 'extremely')

3) to show that a person or thing has more or less of a particular quality.

Examples: angry, busy, happy, important, big, cold, hot, frightened, kind, nice, expensive, risky, complex, profitable, high, helpful, interesting, difficult.

Non-gradable adjectives

1) classifying adjectives: these describe qualities that are completely absent or completely present. They do not occur in comparative or superlative forms

Examples: chemical, indoor, married, wooden, pregnant, English, useless, green, nuclear, domestic, digital.

2) extreme adjectives: these are adjectives that mean "very" + adjective

Examples:

ancient        (very old )

amazing      ( very surprising )

boiling        ( very hot )

brilliant       ( very intelligent )

deafening    (very loud)

delighted     (very happy /pleased)

disgusting   (very bad /unpleasant)

excellent     (very good)

exhausted  ( very tired )

fascinating   (very interesting)

filthy            (very dirty)
freezing       ( very cold )

furious        ( very angry )

gorgeous    (very beautiful)

starving      ( very hungry)

terrifying     (very scary)

tiny           ( very small)

3) absolute adjectives:

dead, impossible, unique, perfect, supreme, final

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Now why would one want to classify the adjectives?? The reason is that it will tell you what adverbs can be used with these adjectives.

Adverbs of degree:

The following adverbs of degree can be used with gradable adjectives: hugely, incredibly, fairly, rather, less, reasonably, a bit, very, really, extremely, slightly.

Examples:  very hot, extremely angry,  a bit cold, fairly important

And those adverbs of degree can only be used with non-gradable adjectives: absolutely, completely, really, utterly, totally.

Examples: utterly terrifying, really amazing.

Voila!