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IMPOSSIBLE
DEEPLY
ABSOLUTELY
DELIGHTED
HURT
MODIFYING
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
Free Freezing Vast / enormous
(limit of the scale)
Cheap Cold Large
Gradable adjectives
Expensive Hot Small
Ungradable adjectives
Priceless Boiling Minute/ tiny
(limit of the scale)
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”.
There are several other modifiers which we use to strengthen the meaning of these adjectives: so, rather, really,
extremely, terribly, most (formal), pretty (informal).
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!)
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”.
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
1. Cold 1. a) TINY
2. Hot 2. b) STARVING
3. Tired 3. c) HUGE
4. Dirty 4. d) EXHAUSTED
5. Small 5. e) FREEZING
6. Big 6. f) SPOTLESS
7. Clean 7. g) BOILING
8. Funny 8. h) FILTHY
9. Angry 9. i) HILARIOUS
10. Hungry 10. j) FURIOUS
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
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. Hungry 10B j) FURIOUS
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
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.