41-49-2016 GRADABLE AND NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES Some adjectives refer to qualities which ae gradable — we can have more or less of ‘them. For example, people canbe more or les intresting oF ol jobs canbe more oF les dificul. Other adjectives refer to nn gradable qualities ~ we do not say that things ate moee or less perfec, Impossible or dead. Look at these pais of gradable and non-gradable adjectives ‘ane frous cold freezing big enormous tasty delicious Important essential tired /exhawed hot boing Sappy /delighied Difleent intensifying adverbs go with gradable nd non-gradsble (liiventreme) a Wik gradabie adjectives | With non-gradable ajc Good) very pretty absolutly really, ily re totaly quite | auite extremely completely - prety rather ‘Not all combinations ae posible (there are no rules!) The only combinations that are lays possible are: ery gradable ‘absolutely + non-gradable ‘really gradeble/non-gradable FAIRLY, QUITE, RATHER, PRETTY notnice fairly nice __quitenice_ratherprety nice __very nice Retnice _feily nics_quitenico_rathefprety ioe _very nice, ‘Faint isthe weskest of the four. you say that somebody is ally nice, its not ‘much of compliment. + Quite is litle stronger. Ifyou say that a film is quite goo, you are recommending it itis not the best film ever made, but itis certainly worth seeing ‘+ Rather is stronger again; it often means more than i usual or more than expected. Ifa film is rather good, its beter than most. This ue snot common in American English = Prety ir to rather, bt it is most used in informal style.