Grammar for advanced learners: Gradable and ungradable adjectives - Thấm Tâm Vy

Nội dung text: Grammar for advanced learners: Gradable and ungradable adjectives - Thấm Tâm Vy

1. - I felt pretty upset after the accident. (informal) GRAMMAR FOR ADVADVANCED LEARNERS - The chapter on the early sonnets was most instructive. (formal) GRADABLE AND UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVES We often use less common adverbs to modify certain gradable adjectives. Although very is commonly used to strengthen any adjective, your English will sound more fluent Adjectives are 'describing' words. Most adjectives have a meaning which can be made and natural if you learn to use other combinations of adverb and adjective: stronger or weaker; these are called 'gradable adjectives'. Other adjectives have a - I was bitterly disappointed at my exam results. meaning which is extreme or absolute and cannot easily be made stronger or - Mg brother is painfully shy. weaker. These are called 'ungradable adjectives'. The differences in the way we use - The students in this school are highly intelligent. these two kinds of adjectives can cause problems even for advanced students. Let us Note that we can often only use certain adverbs with certain adjectives (for commonly look at these different types of adjective and the ways in which we can modify their used combinations). meaning. C. Weakening the adjective. Gradable adjectives can usually be made weaker by the MODIFYING GRADABLE ADJECTIVES words fairly, slightly, a (little) bit, (informal) and somewhat (formal): A. Gradable and Ungradable Adjectives. Gradable adjectives represent a point on a - I've been feeling slightly dizzy all morning. scale. For example , cheap and expensive are adjectives on the scale of 'how much - Mg friend was a bit drunk. (informal) something costs'. Ungradable adjectives represent the limits of a scale (see B below). - The police reported that the man was somewhat inebriated. (formal) In conversation, a bit is a useful way to make a critical remark more polite: - You're a bit overdressed, aren't you? Gradable adjectives free (limit of the scale) (very cheap) We can use not very and not at all to weaken gradable adjectives after the verb be: cheap freezing vast / enormous - The end of term test wasn't very long and it wasn't at all difficult. (not very cheap) cold large D. Quite. With gradable adjectives quife usually means 'fairly' but can have other Ungradable adjectives (a bit expensive hot small meanings. The different meanings are only apparent in spoken English as they are expensive boiling minute / tiny dependent on stress and intonation: Gradable adjectives very expensive - The lecture was quite interesting. (unmarked = fairly interesting) (limit of the scale) quite interesting (stress on adjective = more interesting than the speaker expected) We can make comparative and superlative forms from all gradable adjectives: quite interesting (stress on adverb = less interesting than the speaker expected) MODIFYING UNCRADABLE ADJECTIVES A. Ungradable adjectives. Ungradable adjectives (e.g. enormous, vast, tiny, priceless, free) have a meaning which represents the limit of a scale. For example the limits of the scale of 'how much something costs' are free (= it costs nothing) and priceless (= its cost is too great to be counted). Ungradable adjectives are not usually used in comparatives and superlatives, and we do not use very to make them stronger: - The Ming vases are more priceless than the Egyptian mummies. => The Ming vases are more valuable than the Egyptian mummies. - Entrance to the museum is very free. => Entrance to the museum is absolutely free. B. Strengthening the adjective. We can make gradable adjectives stronger with very, B. Intensifying the adjective. A common way to intensify the meaning of ungradable but not with the adverb absolutely: adjectives is with the adverb absolutety. - That new jacket looks absolutely expensive.=>That new jacket looks verg expensive. We use this device to add emphasis in spoken and informal English; it is not common - Yes. It's much cheaper. Let's buy some tickets. in writing: There are several other modifiers which we use to strengthen the meaning of these - I couldn't swim in the sea; the water was absolutely freezing. adjectives: so, rather, really, extremely, terribly, most (formal), pretty (informal): - The show was absolutely fabulous. - Last night's match was terribly exciting. When we use quite with ungradable adjectives, it has a similar meaning to 'completely', Thẩm Tâm Vy, july 27, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 12
2. emphasising the strength of the adjective: [- Her Majesty was dead interested in the traditional Maori dancing.] - The tenor's performance was quite amazing. [- The bank is really sorry about having to refuse your application for a loan.] - You're quite correct. D. Gradable and ungradable. Some adjectives can have both gradable and ungradable Although we use absolutely with many ungradable adjectives, there are some meanings, depending on whether the speaker feels the adjective describes an absolute adjectives which are never intensified with absolutely and some where we prefer to use quality or one which is relative to something else: other intensifying adverbs such as completely, totally and utterly. There are no grammar - I'm afraid there are no rooms - the hotel is full. (ungradable = completely full) rules which explain these combinations so it is best to learn them as vocabulary items. - The hotel's very full but I think I can get you a single room for tonight. (gradable = - I'm afraid your answer is completely wrong. has many guests but there is still some space) - Since the accident Henry has been totally deaf in one ear. Other adjectives like this are: empty, beautiful, black, delicious, new, possible - Susan was utterly appalled by her husband's dishonesty. We can also use a most before ungradable adjectives used before a noun: COMMON ADVERB + ADJECTIVE COLLOCATIONS - Hilary has a most amazing hairstyle. These collocations are taken from the British National Corpus. (Below, 'sb' = C. ALMOST, NEARLY, etc. We do not usually make ungradable adjectives weaker by somebody and 'sth' = something.) using the modifiers fairly, slightly, a (little) bit, somewhat or not very: adverb + adjective - Their favourite possession is a slightly priceless Satsuma vase, bitterly cold, disappointed, divided, hostile, humiliated, hurt, opposed, resented, - I wouldn’t recommend the show; it’s not very fabulous. resentful, upset But we do use almost, nearly, proctically or virtually to indicate a point close to the completely acclimatised, alone, different, drained, empty / full, extinguished, immune absolute meaning of ungradable adjectives: (from / to sth), incapable (of sth), incomprehensible, lost, negative, new, - He never turns the heating on - it's practically freezing in there. open (with sb (= honestly, overloohed, revised, right / wrong, untenable - The battery in my calculator is almost dead. deeply ashamed, attached (to sb / sth) (=strong feeling for), conscious, - After six months with the disease he was nearly deaf and virtually blind. conservative, depressed, disappointed, disturbed, divided, embedded, D. Comparatives and superlatives. Because ungradable adjectives represent the limit embittered, hurt, indebted (to sb), ingrained, in love with, involved, of a scale, they are not usually used in comparatives and superlatives. However, in involved (in sth), lamented, meaningful, moving, religious, rutted spoken English many 'ungradable' adjectives can be used gradably when we are entirely absent, beneficiat, clear, different, false, fitting, free, global, impersonal, comparing similar things at one end of a scale and can then be used in comparisons: legal, new, obvious, serious, unconvincing, unexpected - I've never been more exhausted than I was after the New York marathon. heavily armed, booked, built, censored, criticised, embroiled (with sb / sth), - That was the most delicious meal you've ever cooked! flavoured, guarded, involved (in sth), muscled, polluted, populated, With comparatives of this type we often use still more or even more: protected, publicised, regulated, represented, scented, soiled, taxed - Their house is even more enormous than Richard's! hideously bad, burnt, deformed, disfigured, disfiguring, effective, embarrassing, expensive, injured, lurid, mangled, scarred, swollen, ugly, unhygienic MODTFYING ADJECTTVES IN INFORMAL ENGLISH highly commended, contagious, controversial, critical, dependent, developed, A. REALLY, REAL educated, enjoyable, flexible, intelligent, mobile, paid, personal, polished, There are several modifiers which we use with both gradable and ungradable adjectives political, popular, publicised, quotified, recommended, regarded, relevant, to make their meaning stronger. The most common in informal English is really: resistant, respected, significant, shilled. specialised, technical, toxic, - That film was reallg exciting. It's reallg freezing in here! trained, unlikely, valued, volatile In informal US English real can be used instead of really: painfully acute, qware, evocqtive, teqrned, loud, obvious, self-conscious, sensitive, - That watch looks real expensive. shy, slow, small, sparse, thin Expressions such as nice and and good and can be used to intensify many adjectives: perfectly arranged, balanced, capable, fitting (= appropriate), formed, genuine, good, - The hotel was nice and clean. I'll come when I'm good and ready. healthy, normal, ptaced, proper, rational, reasonable, (all) right, safe, still, In very informal English, dead and a number of slang words (e.g. bleeding) can be used straightforward, understandable, valid as intensifiers: seriously damaged, exposed, hit (= damaged), ill, impaired, rich, threatened, - The rollercoaster ride was dead scary. undermined, wealthy  We usually do not use these colloquial modifiers in formal English: totally abandoned, abused, alien, anaemic, decent, destroyed, different, Thẩm Tâm Vy, july 27, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 12
3. embarrassed, harmless, homogeneous, honest, impervious (to sth), 6. This new computer game sounds interesting. inadequate, incompetent, integrated, irresistible, logical, new, normal, overpowering, stiff, surprising, unacceptable, unbelievable, 7. Hilary's new boyfriend is rich. undefined, unjustified, wasted utterly abandoned, alone, appallled, careless, dejected, destroged, devoted (to 8. Victory in our next game seems unlikely sb), different, disastrous, fearless, futile, impossible, irresistible, lacking, ruthless, tragic, unacceptable, unattainable, unquestioning, III. Match the labels (A-D) with the sentences (1-6). Some labels may be used more useless, wrecked than once. A. US English B. formal C. informal PRACTICE 1. We were wearing the same outfitl lt was dead embarrassing. I. Put each adjective into the correct box below. Each box will contain ten 2. The cave paintings were real impressive. adjectives. 3. I thought Dave's behaviour was a bit bizarre last night. amaztng attractive cold correct dead enormous exciting expensive extinct 4. The professor's lecture was most illuminating. fascinating freezing good interesting huge large minute paralysed shy sick ugly 5. Francis Bacon's later works were somewhat disturbing. 6. These new engines are pretty reliable. GRADABLE ADJECTIVES UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVES IV. Read the article below and decide which word (A-C) bestfits each space (l-10). The exercise begins with an example (0). Fakes found in major museums Oscar White Muscarella, a (0) respected archeologist at New York's Metropolitan Museum, claims that more than 1,250 forgeries are on display in the world's leading museums and art galleries. In his latest book Muscarella specifically names 37 forgeries in the Louvre, 16 in the British Museum and 45 in his own museum in New York. II. Use the words in the box below to rewrite each sentence, making it either Muscarella's earlier claims have been heavily (1) by some museum officials who stronger or weaker according to the instructions. Use each word once only. The are (2) opposed to his arguments. But Muscarella has (3) good scientific exercise begins with an example (0). evidence for his claims, showing that over 40 per cent of the objects examined by the virtually very somewhat a bit highly absolutely slightly fabulously fairly Oxford Thermoluminescence laboratory are fakes. The reason for the quantity of A. Make these sentences weaker: forgeries is (4) simple. Because many of the objects in our museums were found by 0 The dress I bought yesterday is damaged. amateurs and illegally exported from their countries of origin they have no official => The dress I bought yesterday is slightly damaged. provenance or documented history. Museums are painfully (5) of this embarrassing 1.These days mobile phones are inexpensive. problem and as a result they have been known to overlook the lack of written records before accepting or buying antiquities. This makes it (5) impossible to detect 2. Be careful changing gear; the gearstick's stiff. forgeries, especially if they are accurate copies. But in fact many forgeries are (7) obvious as they are often copied from a photograph which only shows the front 3. The inscription on the tomb was indecipherable. of an object. When examining the back of the forgery they can look (8) different from the original. But museum officials tend to be (9) conservative and hate to 4. Many of the lnca religious ceremonies were bloodthirsty question objects which have been sitting in their collections for many years. Muscarella specialises in the ancient Middle East, and this is the area of archaeology B. Make these sentences stronger: in which he has found so many forgeries. But his research has had the effect of 5. Jane's flat was freezing last night. undermining the reputation of some of our most (10) regarded institutions, and this should be of concern to anyone who values our cultural heritage. Thẩm Tâm Vy, july 27, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 12
4. 0. A. absolutely B. highly C. very remain the same. There are 14 unsuitable adjectives in the letter, including the 1. A. discussed B. rejected C. criticised example. 2. A. bitterly B. highly C. rather 3. A. perfectly B. absolutely C. somewhat HOTEL PALMERA 4. A. virtually B. quite C. really BARCELONA 5. A. conscious B. understanding C. aware 1. Dear Jusanna, 6. A. very B. virtually C. pretty 2. Having an absolutely nice here in Barcelona. The weather has been 7. A. a bit B. entirely C. deeply 3. wonderfully hot and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky. Our hotel is in the 8. A. completely B. absolutely C. almost 4. Gothic quarter - it's very minute but quite comfortable. The staff are all very 9. A. heavily B. dead C. deeply 5. friendly and helpful - we got back from a club at 3 a.m. a couple of days ago – 10. A. very B. highly C. absolutely 6. all of us were absolutely hungry of course - and the doorman kindly offered to V. Six of these sentences contain mistakes. Tick () the correct sentences, then find 7. make us all sandwiches! Steve wasn't impressed (as usual!), he was actually fairly the mistakes and correct them. 8. furious because they didn't have granary bread! 1. We thought the state rooms in the White House were real impressive! 9. We've seen most of rhe sights in the city. Karen was abolutely pleased when 2. I'm afraid there's nothing to eat; the fridge is very empty. 10. we went to the 'Sagrada Familia' - she loves Gaudi's work. It's certainly a totally 3. The tour bus is completely full so I've only got six seats left to offer you. 11. rare building. And Steve was very ecstatic about going to the Maritime Musem – 4. I love these 'awayday' tickets; they're nice and cheap. 12. he seems to find anything to do with boats utterly interesting. I can't 5. We chose the hotel because it was very recommended by our neighbours 13. understand it myself. I was absolutely annoyed when he suggested we stay there 6. If you were really serious about your studies, you would have given up 14. over lunch time - especially as I was a bit famished at the time (not surprising that evening job. 15. after two very tedious hours of looking at dusty old ships! It was even more 7. Everyone in our class loves Jackie - she's dead friendly. 16. stultifying than that afternoon we spent with the VAT inspectors - if you can 8. Jackwas a very built man with massive shoulders and a menacing stare. 17. imagine such a thing!) 9. I found the funeral ceremony absolutely moving. 18. The sfreet life here is very fascinating. We've spent a lot of time wandering 10. The Ambassador would be really delighted to accept this honour on 19. around and staring at the street performers. Luckily there are lots of pavement behalf of the President. 20. cafés and it's very fabulous to simply while away the time watching the world go VI. This box contains eight groups of gradable and ungradable adjectives with 21. by. similar meanings. There are four adjectives to each group in the box below. 22. Anyway, I hope things are going well at the office, although I can't say I'm very Complete the gaps in the table. The example for nice is provided. 23. exhilarated at the thought of getting back there next week! 24. Lots of love, gradable adjectives ungradable adjectives Jackie 1. dull 2. small Line 2 nice => fabulous 3. amusing 4. rare 5. angry 6. nice lovely xxx xxx fabulous fantastic brilliant 7. pleased xxx xxx 8. peckish xxx xxx VII. The writer of this letter has made mistakes with some of the adjectives she has used. Find the mistakes and substitute suitable alternative adjectives from the table in Exercise VI. You can only change the adjectives, everything else must Thẩm Tâm Vy, july 27, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 12
5. ANSWER KEY I. Ungradable: amazing correct dead enormous extinct fascinating freezing huge minute paralysed Gradable: attractive cold exciting expensive good interesting large shy sick ugly II. 1. fairly inexpensive 2. a bit stiff 3. virtually indecipherable 4. somewhat bloodthirsty 5. absolutely freezing 6. very interesting 7. fabulously rich 8. highly unlikely III. 1D 2A, C 3C 4B 5B 6C IV. 1C 2A 3A 4B 5C 6B 7B 8A 9C 10B V. 1.  2. very empty => completely empty 3. completely full => very full 4.  5. very recommended => highly recommended 6.  7.  8. very built => heavily built 9. absolutely moving => deeply moving 10. really delighted => highly delighted VI. 1. gradable: boring, tedious, uninteresting ungradable: stultifying 2. gradable: diminutive, little, tiny ungradable: minute 3. gradable: diverting, engaging, interesting ungradable: fascinating 4. gradable: scarce, uncommon, unusual ungradable: unique 5. gradable: annoyed, irate, irritated ungradable: furious 7. gradable: happy ungradable : delighted, ecstatic, exhilarated 8. gradable: hungry ungradable: famished, ravenous, starving VII. Line 4: very minute => very small / tiny Line 6: abselutely hungry => absolutely famished / starving Lines 7/8: fairly furious => fairly annoyed/angry Line 9: absolutely pleased => absolutely delighted Lines 10/11: totally rare => totally unique Line 11: very estastic => very pleased/happy Line 12: utterly interesting => utterly fascinating Line 13: absolutely annoyed => absolutely furious Line 14: a bit famished => a bit hungry Line 16: stultifying => boring/uninteresting/tedious Line 18: very fascinating => very amusing/diverting Line 20: very fabulous => very nice / lovely Lines 22/23: very exhilarated => very happy/pleased Thẩm Tâm Vy, july 27, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 12