The use of adverbs of degree with gradable and non-gradable adjectives

 

Most adjectives have a meaning which can be made stronger or weaker; these are called ‘gradable adjectives’. Here are some examples of adjectives used as gradable in their most common meanings [21, 134]:

 

Grading adverbs		Gradable adjectives
a bit, dreadfully, extremely, hugely, immensely, intensely, rather, reasonably, slightly, very	+	quiet, rich, strong, weak, young, angry, big, busy, clever, common, deep, fast, friendly, happy, important, low, popular

 

She was extremely rich [38].

The people there are reasonably friendly [41].

Other adjectives have a meaning which is extreme or absolute and cannot easily be made stronger or weaker. These are called ‘non-gradable adjectives’. With non-gradable adjectives can be used adverbs which emphasize their extreme or absolute nature, such as absolutely, completely etc. Many classifying adjectives which are used to say that something is of particular type (medical, environmental, chemical; annual, general, northern, etc.) are usually non-gradable. Here are some examples of adjectives used as non-gradable in their most common meanings [21, 134]:

 

Non-grading adverbs		Non-gradable adjectives
Absolutely, completely, entirely, perfectly, practically, simply, totally, utterly, virtually; almost, exclusively, fully, largely, mainly, nearly, primarily	+	Awful, excellent, huge, impossible, superb, terrible, unique, unknown, whole, domestic, environmental

 

She gave us a completely impossible problem to solve [38].

It was absolutely superb [38].

Gradable adjectives are sometimes used with non-grading adverbs such as absolutely and totally, and non-gradable adjectives are sometimes used with grading adverbs such as extremely, rather and very, particularly to add special emphasis or humorous effect:

What you’re asking isn’t just difficult – it’s extremely impossible [21, 134]! (grading adverb + non-gradable adjective)

You’ve won a hundred pounds? Wow, you’re virtually rich [21, 134]! (non-grading adverb + gradable adjective)

The adverbs fairly

(= to quite a large degree, but usually less then ‘very’), really (= ‘very (much)’) and pretty (= similar to ‘fairly’; used in informal contexts) are commonly used with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives [21, 134]:

She is fairly popular at school.

I’m really busy at the moment.

It’s a pretty important exam.

It was a fairly awful film.

The flooding was really terrible.

The bill was pretty huge.

However, fairly (or very) is not generally used with gradable adjectives such as essential, invaluable, perfect, superb, tremendous and wonderful which indicate that something is very good or necessary:

Some experience is really/pretty essential for the job [38].

The weather that day was really/pretty perfect [38].

Some adjectives have both gradable and non-gradable senses. Such group of adjectives includes [21, 136]:

1. Adjectives which have different senses when they are gradable and non-gradable (civil, clean, common, electric, empty, false, late, odd, old, original, particular, straight):

Smith is very common nam. (=frequently found; gradable)

We have a lot of common interests. (=shared; non-gradable)

The house is very old. (= existed many years; gradable)

I met my old politics professor the other day. (= former; non-gradable)

Sue’s shoes are very clean. (= not dirty; gradable)

He left the town because he wanted to make a clean break with the past. (= starting again in different circumstances; non-gradable) [21, 136]

2. Adjectives which have similar meanings when they are gradable and non-gradable. However, when they are gradable they show the quality that a person or thing has (i. e. they are qualitative adjectives and therefore can be used with an adverb), and when they are non-gradable they indicate the category or type they belong to (i. e. they are classifying adjectives) (academic, adult, average, diplomatic, foreign, genuine, guilty, human, individual, innocent, mobile, private, professional, public, scientific, technical, true, wild):

I don’t know where he came from, but he sounded slightly foreign. (= not from this country; gradable)

She is now advising on the government’s foreign policy. (= concerning other countries; non-gradable)

They had a very public argument. (= seen/heard by a lot of people; gradable)

He was forced to resign by public pressure. (= from many people in the community; non-gradable) [21, 136]

3. Non-gradable nationality adjectives indicate that a person or thing comes from a particular country. Gradable nationality adjectives show that they have supposed characteristics of that country:

There’s a shop around the corner that sells Italian bread [40].

Giovanni has lived in Britain for 20 years, but he’s still very Italian [40].