Gradable and Non-gradable Adjectives Adjectives describe
qualities (characteristics) of nouns. - Some qualities can vary
in intensity or grade (for example: rather hot, hot, very hot;
hot, hotter, the hottest). The adjective hot is gradable. -
Other qualities cannot vary in intensity or grade because they
are: - extremes (for example: freezing) - absolutes (for
example: dead) - classifying (for example: nuclear) The
adjectives freezing, dead and nuclear are non-gradable. A
gradable adjective can be used with "grading adverbs" that vary
the adjective's grade or intensity. Look at these examples: a
little, dreadfully, extremely, fairly, hugely, immensely,
intensely, rather, reasonably, slightly, unusually, very angry,
big, busy, clever, cold, deep, fast, friendly, good, happy,
high, hot, important, long, popular, rich, strong, tall, warm,
weak, young A gradable adjective can also have comparative and
superlative forms: EC Tip: "Gradable adjectives" are also called
"qualitative adjectives". "Grading adverbs" are