REALLY

IMPOSSIBLE
ABSOLUTE DEEPL
LY Y
MODIFYING DELIGHTE HURT

ADJECTIVES

Most adjectives have a meaning which can be made stronger or weaker; these are called
“gradable adjectives”. Others have a meaning which is extreme or absolute and
cannot easily be made stronger or weaker; these are called “ungradable adjectives”.

Ungradable
adjectives (limit of Free Freezing Vast / enormous
the scale)
Gradable Cheap Cold Large
adjectives Expensive Hot Small
Ungradable
adjectives (limit of Priceless Boiling Minute/ tiny
the scale)

Modifying gradable adjectives:

Gradable adjectives represent a point on a scale. For example, “cheap” and “expensive”
are adjectives on the scale of “how much something costs”. Ungradable adjectives
represent the limits of a scale.

We can make gradable adjectives stronger with “very”, but not with the adverb
“absolutely”.

That new jacket looks absolutely very expensive.

There are several other modifiers which we use to strengthen the meaning of these
adjectives: so, rather, really, extremely, terribly, most (formal), pretty (informal).

Last night’s match was terrible exciting.

I feel pretty upset after the accident.

HINT: Although very is commonly used to strengthen any adjective, your English will
sound more fluent and natural if you learn to use other combinations of adverb and
adjective. (COLLOCATIONS!)

Modifying ungradable adjectives:

Ungradable adjectives represent the limit of the scale. For example, the limits of the
scale of “how much something costs” are “free” and “priceless”.

A common way to intensify the meaning of an ungradable adjective is with the adverb
“absolutely”.

The show was absolutely fabulous.

HINT: Although we use absolutely with many ungradable adjectives, there are some
adjectives which are never intensified with absolutely and some prefer to use other
intensifying adverbs such as completely, totally and utterly. There are no grammar rules
which explain these combinations so it is best to learn them as vocabulary items.
(COLLOCATIONS AGAIN!)

PRACTICE

MATCH EACH ADJECTIVE WITH ITS CORRESPONDING UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVE.

1. Cold 1. a) TINY
2. Hot 2. b) STARVING
3. Tired 3. c) HUGE
4. Dirty 4. d) EXHAUSTE
D
5. Small 5. e) FREEZING
6. Big 6. f) SPOTLESS
7. Clean 7. g) BOILING
8. Funn 8. h) FILTHY
y
9. Angry 9. i) HILARIOUS
10.Hung 10. j) FURIOUS
ry

READ THE ADJECTIVES IN THE BOX AND DECIDE WHICH ADJECTIVE COLLOCATES
WITH, AT LEAST, ONE OF THE ADVERBS BELOW.

RESENTFUL, POPULATED, CRITICISED, CENSORED, DISAPPOINTED, QUALIFIED,

HURT, RECOMMENDED, MOVED, RESPECTED

BITTERLY
DEEPLY
HIGHLY
HEAVILY

COMPLETE THE FOLOWING SENTENCES WITH AN ADVERB FROM THE ONES IN THE
EXERCISE ABOVE.
 1) He was ……………………….. resentful at the way he had been treated.
2) You need to be ……………………… qualified if you want to apply for this
job.
3) His role in the film has been …………………… criticized. It wasn’t what we
would call a good performance.
4) The town is ……………………….. populated by immigrants.
5) Although nowadays she’s a well-known writer, her novels were …………
……….. censored at those days.
6) I was …………………………… moved when I saw her apologizing.
7) He felt ……………………………… disappointed when she didn’t turn up.
8) She’s a …………………………. recommended designer, that’s how she got
the job.

PRACTICE

MATCH EACH ADJECTIVE WITH ITS CORRESPONDING UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVE.

1. Cold 1E a) TINY
2. Hot 2G b) STARVING
3. Tired 3D c) HUGE
4. Dirty 4H d) EXHAUSTED
5. Small 5A e) FREEZING
6. Big 6C f) SPOTLESS
7. Clean 7F g) BOILING
8. Funny 8I h) FILTHY
9. Angry 9J i) HILARIOUS
10.Hungr 10B j) FURIOUS
y

READ THE ADJECTIVES IN THE BOX AND DECIDE WHICH ADJECTIVE COLLOCATES
WITH, AT LEAST, ONE OF THE ADVERBS BELOW.

RESENTFUL, POPULATED, CRITICISED, CENSORED, DISAPPOINTED, QUALIFIED,

HURT, RECOMMENDED, MOVED, RESPECTED

DISAPPOINTE
BITTERLY RESENTFUL HURT
D
DEEPLY RESENTFUL HURT MOVED
RECOMMEND
HIGHLY POPULATED QUALIFIED RESPECTED
ED
HEAVILY POPULATED CRITICISED CENSORED
COMPLETE THE FOLOWING SENTENCES WITH AN ADVERB FROM THE ONES IN THE
EXERCISE ABOVE.
1) He was BITTERLY / DEEPLY resentful at the way he had been treated.
2) You need to be HIGHLY qualified if you want to apply for this job.
3) His role in the film has been HEAVILY criticized. It wasn’t what we would
call a good performance.
4) The town is HIGHLY / HEAVIY populated by immigrants.
5) Although nowadays she’s a well-known writer, her novels were HEAVILY
censored at those days.
6) I was DEEPLY moved when I saw her apologizing.
7) He felt BITTERLY disappointed when she didn’t turn up.
8) She’s a HIGHLY recommended designer, that’s how she got the job.