Source:http://www.espressoenglish.net/

WhatareExtremeAdjectives?

Coldisaregularadjective,andFreezingisanextremeadjective.

Adjectives are words that describe the qualities of something. Some adjectives in Englisharegradable thatmeansyoucanhavedifferentdegreesor levelsof thatquality.Forexample,theweathercanbealittlecold,rathercold,verycold,orextremelycold.

Extreme adjectivesornongradable adjectivesare words that mean extremely +adjectiveforexample,freezingmeansextremelycold.Theweathercantbealittlebitfreezingorveryfreezingbecausethewordfreezingitselfautomaticallymeansextremelycold.

Regular&ExtremeAdjectivesList

RegularAdjective ExtremeAdjectiveangry furiousbad awful,terrible,horriblebig huge,gigantic,giantclean spotlesscold freezingcrowded packeddirty filthyfunny hilariousgood wonderful,fantastic,excellenthot boilinghungry starvinginteresting fascinatingold ancientpretty gorgeousscary terrifyingsmall tinysurprising astoundingtired exhaustedugly hideous

SpecialRulesforExtremeAdjectives

Source:http://www.espressoenglish.net/

1)Nocomparatives/superlatives.

Withregularadjectives,wecanusecomparativesandsuperlativestocomparetwoormorethings:

Myhouseisbig. Myneighborshouseisbiggerthanmine.

(comparative) Myparentshouseisthebiggesthouseonthestreet.

(superlative)

Withextremeadjectives,wedontusecomparativesandsuperlatives:

Myparentshouseisenormous. Myparentshouseismoreenormous/themostenormous.

2)Usedifferentadverbswithextremeadjectives.

Withregularadjectives,wecanusetheseadverbs:

alittle,abit,slightly,fairly,rather very,extremely,immensely,intensely,hugely

Examples:

Imratherhungry./Imveryhungry. Thisroomisabitdirty./Thisroomisextremelydirty. Werealittletired./Wereimmenselytired.

Withextremeadjectives,weCANNOTusetheseadverbs:

Imratherstarving./Imextremelystarving.

However,thereareotheradverbswecanusetogiveadditionalemphasistotheextremeadjective:

absolutely completely utterly

Examples:

Imabsolutelyfurious. Werecompletelyexhausted. Themoviewasutterlyterrifying.

Thewordsprettyandreallycanbeusedwithbothregularandextremeadjectives:

Thisroomisprettydirty.(regular) Thisroomisprettyfilthy.(extreme)

Source:http://www.espressoenglish.net/

Thepartyisreallycrowded.(regular) Thepartyisreallypacked.(extreme)

AbsoluteAdjectives

Anothertypeofextremeadjectiveiscalledanabsoluteadjective.

Thesearewordsthatareeitheryesorno.Forexample,deadyoucantbealittlebitdeadorverydeadeitherYES,youaredead,orNO,yourenotdead.

Heresalistofabsoluteadjectivesandtheiropposites(thislistisnotcomplete;itonlyshowssomeexamples):

AbsoluteAdjective Oppositecomplete incompleteequal unequalessential nonessential;extraneousdead alivefatal notfatalfirst last/finalfull emptyideal notidealimpossible possibleinfinite finitemarried single / divorced /

separated/widowedperfect imperfectpregnant notpregnantunique notuniqueuniversal notuniversalunknown knowntrue false

Note:

YoumighthearexpressionsliketheseinspokenEnglish:

Thatsverytrue.ItstheveryfirsttimeThisshirtismoreuniquethanthatone.

Thesesentencesarenottechnicallycorrect,becauseweshouldntusethewordsveryormorewithabsoluteadjectivesbutnativespeakersdontalwaysfollowtherules!

http://www.espressoenglish.net/extremeadjectivesinenglish/

Source:http://www.espressoenglish.net/

Nowtestyourknowledgeofextremeadjectives:

1. Thecomedianwas__________!IlaughedsohardIwasalmostcrying. astoundingfascinatinghilarious

2. Thekitchenwas__________bythetimeshefinishedcleaningit.furious hideousspotless

3. These__________ruinswerebuiltbytheMayansthousandsofyearsago. ancientfilthypacked

4. Inmyevaluation,theteachersaid Iwasa___________studentanda joytohave inclass

Horrible gorgeous wonderful

5. Mybrotherwas___________whenIbrokehisbrandnewcellphone.awfulfuriousstarving

6. Thefirsttime Ihadtospeakatabigconference, Iwas__________ myhandswereactuallyshaking!

exhaustedterrified terrible

7. Thishearingaidisso_________youcanbarelyseeit.astounding filthytiny

8. Thatdressis__________Ican'tbelieveit'sconsidered"fashionable"!hideousfreezing spotless

9. Mykidsfellasleeponthecarridehome fromthezoo theywere__________fromrunningaroundallday.

exhaustedfurious terrifying

10. I'mnotreallyintopolitics,butIfindscience___________.

Source:http://www.espressoenglish.net/

giganticfascinatingstarvingAdverbswithExtremeAdjectives:decideifthefollowingsentencesareCORRECTORINCORRECT

1. Thatpaintingisverygorgeoustheartisthasrealtalent.2. Thesebooksarefairlyancienttheywerewrittentwohundredyearsago.3. The classroomwas almost empty during theweek before Christmas; everyone had

goneonvacation.4. He became a multimillionaire by the time he was 25 years old. His success is

absolutelyastounding.5. It'sabithotinhere;couldyouopenthewindow?6. Thisprojectisrathergiganticit'sfartoomuchworkforjustoneperson.7. Helosthisjobandhiscarwasstoleninthesameweek?Wow,that'sreallyawful.8. It's extremely essential that you bring all the necessary documents to your visa

interview.9. Youressaywasnearlyperfecttherewasonlyonesmallpunctuationerror.10. Mynewapartmentisslightlytiny;thereisn'tenoughroomforallmyfurniture.