Gradable adjectives can be minimised or intensified by an adverb to change the intensity of an adjective.
Maybe for example, we want to talk about the sun:
The sun is very bright today.
The sun is very hot on the beach.
When the sun is high in the sky, the scenery is amazing.
On the other hand we may want to describe how we feel.
I feel quite angry!
I was feeling very energetic at the team building exercise.
I am a little enthusiastic when telling my staff what to do.
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Strong adjectives
Not all adjectives are gradable. When we use strong adjectives, they are ‘very’ something and it is not possible to grade them by using and adverb.
gorgeous (very beautiful)
What a gorgeous view.
He/she is gorgeous; it is obvious that they are a model.
What a gorgeous house; you are very lucky.
awful (very bad)
I have had an awful day.
That film was awful; what a waste of money.
What an awful idea!
filthy (very dirty)
You have a filthy mind!
When we moved into the house, it was filthy.
I cannot see out of the windows as they are filthy.
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But what if we want to emphasise a strong adjective?
There are a number of adverbs we can use to maximise strong adjectives:
totally, absolutely, completely, utterly, entirely
These are not all interchangeable and the only way sometimes is to remember the possibilities.
starving
The gerbil is absolutely starving, it is eating all the fruit.
exhausted
He is totally exhausted, give him a break.
hilarious
She is absolutely hilarious when you get to know her.
huge
I had a dream that there was an utterly huge foot in the sky; I was really scared
freezing
Today is absolutely freezing, take a look at that tree outside!
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Can you think of any others?
Tell us about the coldest you ever felt, something that made you laugh a lot or something that is/was very big!