GRADABLE and NON-GRADABLE ADJECTIVES | HOW TO ENGLISH

how to English

13 Jan 202204:56

Summary

TLDRIn this informative video, the presenter delves into the nuances of gradable and non-gradable adjectives in the English language. Gradable adjectives, such as 'cold' and 'hungry', are described as measurable qualities that can be expressed in varying degrees, often enhanced with modifiers like 'very' or 'extremely'. The video lists common gradable adjectives and their typical modifiers, providing a clear understanding of how these words can be used to convey different intensities. Non-gradable adjectives are then explored, with a focus on absolute and extreme adjectives. Absolute adjectives, exemplified by 'dead' and 'finished', are presented as binary states with no in-between, often intensified by words like 'absolutely' or 'totally'. Extreme adjectives, already inherently strong such as 'exhausted' or 'delicious', can be further emphasized with 'absolutely' or 'really'. The video concludes with an encouragement to like, subscribe, and stay tuned for more English lessons, offering viewers valuable insights into the richness of the English language.

Takeaways

📏 **Gradable Adjectives**: These can be measured and have varying degrees, such as 'cold' or 'hungry', and can be modified with words like 'a bit', 'very', or 'extremely'.
📉 **Modifiers for Gradable Adjectives**: Common modifiers include 'a little', 'a bit', 'slightly', 'pretty', 'quite', 'really', 'very', and 'extremely', which indicate the intensity of the adjective.
🔍 **Absolute Adjectives**: These denote a state that is either present or absent, such as 'dead' or 'finished', and do not have varying degrees.
🔑 **Modifiers for Absolute Adjectives**: To emphasize absolute adjectives, 'absolutely', 'completely', and 'totally' can be used to strengthen their meaning.
🔥 **Extreme Adjectives**: These are inherently strong, like 'exhausted' or 'delicious', and are used to convey a high degree of a quality.
📌 **Strengthening Extreme Adjectives**: To further intensify extreme adjectives, modifiers 'absolutely' and 'really' can be used, resulting in phrases like 'absolutely terrible' or 'really tiny'.
🌐 **Examples of Gradable Adjectives**: Words like 'big', 'boring', 'cheap', 'funny', 'good', 'happy', 'important', 'rich', 'strong', and 'tired' are all gradable.
🚫 **Examples of Absolute Adjectives**: Terms such as 'acceptable', 'destroyed', 'free', 'impossible', 'necessary', 'perfect', 'ruined', and 'unacceptable' are absolute.
❄️ **Examples of Extreme Adjectives**: 'Ancient', 'awful', 'boiling', 'excellent', 'freezing', 'terrible', and 'tiny' are examples of adjectives that are already at an extreme level.
✅ **Understanding Adjective Types**: Recognizing gradable and non-gradable adjectives helps in accurately describing the degree or state of something in English.
🎓 **Learning Application**: Applying these adjectives and their modifiers correctly can enhance language proficiency and precision in communication.

Q & A

What are gradable adjectives?
-Gradable adjectives are adjectives that can be measured and thus can have varying degrees. An object can possess more or less of a particular quality, such as being 'a bit cold', 'pretty cold', 'very cold', or 'extremely cold'.
Can you provide an example of a gradable adjective and how it can be modified?
-An example of a gradable adjective is 'hungry'. It can be modified with words like 'a bit', 'quite', or 'very' to indicate different levels of hunger.
What are some common modifiers used with gradable adjectives?
-Common modifiers used with gradable adjectives include 'a little', 'a bit', 'slightly', 'pretty', 'quite', 'really', 'very', and 'extremely'.
Define non-gradable adjectives and provide an example.
-Non-gradable adjectives are adjectives that do not have varying degrees and are often absolute or extreme. An example is 'dead', which is absolute; you cannot be 'a bit dead' or 'very dead'.
How are absolute adjectives different from gradable adjectives?
-Absolute adjectives represent a state that is either true or false, with no in-between. They are not measurable like gradable adjectives and do not take modifiers that indicate degree.
What are some examples of absolute adjectives?
-Examples of absolute adjectives include 'finished', 'acceptable', 'destroyed', 'free', 'impossible', 'necessary', 'perfect', 'ruined', and 'unacceptable'.
How can absolute adjectives be made stronger?
-Absolute adjectives can be made stronger by using the modifiers 'absolutely', 'completely', and 'totally', such as in 'absolutely necessary' or 'totally acceptable'.
What is an extreme adjective and how is it different from an absolute adjective?
-An extreme adjective is a type of non-gradable adjective that already implies a high degree of the quality it describes, such as 'exhausted' or 'delicious'. Unlike absolute adjectives, extreme adjectives can be intensified with modifiers like 'absolutely' and 'really'.
Give an example of how to intensify an extreme adjective?
-An extreme adjective can be intensified by using modifiers such as 'absolutely' or 'really'. For instance, 'absolutely terrible' or 'really tiny'.
What are some other examples of extreme adjectives mentioned in the script?
-Other examples of extreme adjectives include 'ancient', 'awful', 'boiling', 'excellent', 'freezing', and 'terrible'.
How can one enhance their understanding of gradable and non-gradable adjectives?
-One can enhance their understanding of gradable and non-gradable adjectives by practicing their use in sentences, reading literature that uses a variety of adjectives, and engaging in discussions that require the differentiation between the two types.
What is the purpose of the video mentioned in the script?
-The purpose of the video is to educate viewers on the difference between gradable and non-gradable adjectives, providing examples and explaining how they can be modified or intensified.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Gradable and Non-Gradable Adjectives

This paragraph introduces the topic of gradable and non-gradable adjectives. Gradable adjectives are those that can be measured and thus can have varying degrees, such as 'cold' or 'hungry'. Examples provided include 'big', 'boring', 'cheap', 'funny', 'good', 'happy', 'important', 'rich', 'strong', and 'tired'. These adjectives can be modified with terms like 'a bit', 'pretty', 'very', and 'extremely' to indicate the intensity. Non-gradable adjectives are then briefly mentioned, which include absolute and extreme adjectives, with 'dead' and 'finished' given as examples of absolute adjectives.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Gradable adjectives

Gradable adjectives are descriptors that can be quantified or compared in degree. They are used to indicate varying levels of a quality, allowing for expressions such as 'more' or 'less' of that quality. In the video, gradable adjectives are central to the theme as they are contrasted with non-gradable adjectives. Examples from the script include 'cold,' 'hungry,' 'big,' and 'strong,' which can all be modified with terms like 'a bit,' 'very,' or 'extremely' to convey different intensities.

💡Non-gradable adjectives

Non-gradable adjectives are those that do not allow for comparison in degree. They are used to describe a state or quality that is absolute and cannot be measured in terms of more or less. The video focuses on two types of non-gradable adjectives: absolute and extreme. 'Dead' and 'finished' are examples from the script that illustrate absolute states that do not admit degrees.

💡Absolute adjectives

Absolute adjectives are a subset of non-gradable adjectives that represent a fixed state or condition. They are often used to describe a binary situation where there is no middle ground. The video script uses 'dead' and 'finished' to exemplify absolute adjectives, noting that these states cannot be modified with gradable terms like 'a bit' or 'very.'

💡Extreme adjectives

Extreme adjectives are a type of non-gradable adjective that conveys a high degree of a certain quality. They are inherently strong and do not require gradable modifiers to express their intensity. The script mentions 'exhausted' and 'delicious' as examples, which are already at a high level of the quality they describe, and can be further emphasized with words like 'absolutely' or 'really.'

💡Modifiers

Modifiers are words that serve to qualify, restrict, or provide additional information about another word or phrase. In the context of the video, they are used to intensify gradable adjectives, indicating the degree to which a quality is present. Common modifiers such as 'a bit,' 'very,' 'extremely,' and 'really' are discussed, and they are essential for understanding how gradable adjectives can be used to express varying levels of a quality.

💡Cold

'Cold' is used in the video as an example of a gradable adjective. It is a temperature-related descriptor that can be modified to indicate different levels of coldness, such as 'a bit cold' or 'extremely cold.' This illustrates how gradable adjectives can be used to describe a range of conditions along a continuum.

💡Hungry

'Hungry' is another gradable adjective featured in the video. It describes the state of needing or wanting food and can be modified with words like 'a bit' or 'very' to express the degree of hunger. This term is used to demonstrate how gradable adjectives can be applied to subjective feelings or states.

💡Big

'Big' is a gradable adjective that denotes size and can be modified to express varying degrees of magnitude. In the video, it is used to show how gradable adjectives can be used to describe objects or concepts with different levels of size, from 'a bit big' to 'very big.'

💡Boring

The term 'boring' is a gradable adjective used to describe something that is uninteresting or monotonous. It can be modified with gradable terms to express different levels of boredom, such as 'a bit boring' or 'extremely boring.' The video uses this term to highlight how gradable adjectives can convey the intensity of an emotion or experience.

💡Cheap

'Cheap' is a gradable adjective that describes the low cost or affordability of an item or service. In the video, it is used to demonstrate how gradable adjectives can be used to discuss the relative value of something, with modifications such as 'a bit cheap' or 'very cheap' to indicate the degree of low cost.

💡Tired

The adjective 'tired' is used in the video to illustrate a gradable state of fatigue. It can be modified with gradable terms to express different levels of tiredness, from 'a bit tired' to 'very tired.' This term is relevant to the video's discussion on gradable adjectives and their use in conveying varying intensities of a condition.

Highlights

Gradable adjectives can be measured and indicate varying degrees of a quality.

The term 'cold' is used as an example of a gradable adjective, with varying levels like 'a bit cold' to 'extremely cold'.

Hungry is another gradable adjective, where one can be 'a bit hungry' to 'very hungry'.

Common gradable adjectives include big, boring, cheap, funny, good, happy, important, rich, strong, and tired.

Modifiers such as 'a bit', 'pretty', 'very', and 'extremely' are used with gradable adjectives to express degree.

Non-gradable adjectives are divided into absolute and extreme adjectives.

Absolute adjectives, like 'dead', do not allow for degrees and are either true or false.

Finished is an absolute adjective that cannot be modified with degrees like 'pretty finished'.

Absolute adjectives can be intensified with 'absolutely', 'completely', and 'totally'.

Examples of absolute adjectives include acceptable, destroyed, free, impossible, necessary, perfect, ruined, and unacceptable.

Extreme adjectives are inherently strong, such as 'exhausted' meaning very tired.

Delicious is an extreme adjective that signifies something is very tasty.

Other extreme adjectives include ancient, awful, boiling, excellent, freezing, terrible, and tiny.

Extreme adjectives can be further intensified with 'absolutely' and 'really'.

The video provides examples of how to use intensifiers with extreme adjectives, such as 'absolutely terrible' or 'really tiny'.

The video concludes with a call to like, subscribe, and stay updated with English lessons.

The speaker wishes the viewers a great day and signs off with a friendly 'bye'.