Important, long, popular, rich, strong, tall, warm, weak, youngĪ gradable adjective can also have comparative and superlative forms: Look at these examples:Ī little, dreadfully, extremely, fairly, hugely, immensely, intensely, rather, reasonably, slightly, unusually, veryĪngry, big, busy, clever, cold, deep, fast, friendly, good, happy, high, hot, You probably have the same idea in yourĪ gradable adjective can be used with 'grading adverbs' that vary the adjective's grade or intensity. They just 'feel' that it doesn't make sense to say ' fairly excellent' or ' very unique'. Most native-speakers have never heard of gradable and non-gradable adjectives. Other absolutes include: correct, unique, perfect.ĭon't try to learn lists of gradable and non-gradable adjectives! It's better to understand what makes an adjective gradable or non-gradable. One person cannot be 'deader' than another. The adjective dead is non-gradable because it is an absolute. Why are units of measurement singular in compound adjectives, e.g.The adjectives freezing, dead and nuclear are non-gradable. Why don't some contractions work in certain places? That is, why can't we answer the question 'Is she coming?' with 'Yes, she's'? Why do I sometimes see are with company or team names, as in 'Apple are announcing a new iPhone'? Why do I sometimes hear constructions like needs washed or needs looked at? Is it 'between you and me' or 'between you and I'?

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What is adverb of degree