ADJECTIVE: GRADABLE AND UNGRADABLE

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Gradable and ungradable

As in Spanish, some adjectives (called gradable) allow degrees (and comparison), e.g.:

quite big, very big, bigger than

(But not: )

Other adjectives (called ungradable) do not allow degrees. We can say, for example:

absolutely enormous, really enormous

(But not: , , )

Examples of modifying adverbs

Examples of gradable adjectives

Spanish

very

big

muy grande

rather

tired

bastante cansado/a

quite1

nice

muy guapo/a

extremely

angry

extremadamente enfadado/a

really2

pleased

realmente agradecido/a

reasonably

tasty

muy gustoso/a

Examples of modifying adverbs

Examples of ungradable adjectives

Spanish

absolutely

enormous

absolutamente enorme

totally

exhausted

totalmente exhausto/a

quite1

delightful

completamente encantador/a

perfectly

furious

perfectamente furioso/a

really2

ecstatic

realmente estático/a

positively

delicious

positivamente delicioso/a

1 With gradable adjectives, quite means ‘fairly’; with ungradable adjectives it means ‘perfectly’.

2 With gradable adjectives, really means ‘very’; with ungradable adjectives it means ‘perfectly’.

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