Gradable Adjectives
Which adjective is gradable: exhausted or tired?
Tired
Complete: absolutely ______ (furious / angry)
furious
Choose the correct option: very / absolutely amazing
absolutely amazing
Correct this sentence: She was very exhausted.
She was absolutely exhausted.
slightly ______ (freezing / cold)
Cold
Can we say very impossible?
No
Complete the sentence:
“I was ___ terrified when I saw the spider.”
A. very
B. absolutely
C. slightly
Terrified is ungradable, so absolutely terrified is appropriate.
Correct the sentence: This book is absolutely boring.
Very boring
Rank from weakest to strongest: exhausted, tired, shattered
tired → exhausted → shattered
Why is slightly perfect incorrect?
Perfect is ungradable
Choose the best intensifier:
“The situation was ___ impossible to control.”
A. very
B. completely
C. quite
Completely impossible
He was very furious when he heard the news.
He was absolutely furious when he heard the news.
Give a stronger alternative for very tired.
Exhausted
Which adjective is ungradable?
A. angry
B. exhausted
C. tired
D. cold
Exhausted
Complete: The results were ______ disappointing.
deeply / extremely
The kitchen was very filthy after the party.
The kitchen was absolutely filthy after the party.
Complete the sentence with the best intensifier:
“That restaurant was ___ delicious!”
A. absolutely
B. very
C. completely
Delicious is generally treated as gradable: very delicious.
Name three ungradable adjectives.
perfect, impossible, exhausted
Complete the sentence with an appropriate intensifier and ungradable adjective:
“After running the marathon, I was __________.”
Possible answer: absolutely exhausted.
It was very impossible to finish the project on time.
It was completely impossible to finish the project on time.