COMPACT B2 FIRST – UNIT 3

ADVERBS OF DEGREE
Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity of something. Adverbs of degree are usually
placed before the adjective, adverb, or verb that they modify, although there are some
exceptions. The words "too", "enough", "very", and "extremely" are examples of adverbs of
degree.

ADVERB MEANING EXAMPLE

Slightly / A bit “a little” I’m feeling a bit cold
Absolutely “a lot” I’m feeling
Completely absolutely cold
Extremely
Really She’s totally lost
Totally
Fairly More than a little I’m feeling pretty
Pretty but less than a lot cold
Rather*
Quite She’s quite lost

*We normally use * I was rather

rather with disappointed with
negative/surprising the result of the
ideas exam
Quite + Completely I’m quite sure that
right/sure/different she didn’t pass the
exam

GRADABLE AND UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVES

Gradable adjectives

Most adjectives are gradable. This means we can have different levels of that quality. For
example, you can be a bit cold, very cold or extremely cold. We can make them weaker or
stronger with modifiers.

Modifiers: a little/a bit → pretty/quite → really/very → extremely

Adjectives: angry, big, boring, cheap, cold, expensive, frightening, funny, hot, interesting,
old, pretty, small, tasty, tired, etc.

Non-gradable: absolute adjectives

Some adjectives are non-gradable. For example, something can't be a bit finished or very
finished. You can't be a bit dead or very dead. These adjectives describe absolute qualities. To
make them stronger we have to use modifiers like absolutely, totally or completely.

Modifiers: absolutely/totally/completely
 COMPACT B2 FIRST – UNIT 3

Adjectives: acceptable, dead, destroyed, finished, free, impossible, necessary, perfect,

ruined, unacceptable, etc.