modifiying adjectives and comparions

LOGICAL ORDER

fairly coldfairly coldfairly coldfairly cold

quite/rather coldquite/rather coldquite/rather coldquite/rather cold

coldcoldcoldcold

very coldvery coldvery coldvery coldvery coldvery coldvery coldvery cold

extremely coldextremely coldextremely coldextremely cold

FREEZINGFREEZINGFREEZINGFREEZING (non-gradable adjective)

CHOICE OF ADVERBS

AdverbsAdverbsAdverbsAdverbs

IntensifiersIntensifiersIntensifiersIntensifiersExtremelyExtremelyExtremelyExtremely

VeryVeryVeryVery

ReallyReallyReallyReally

AdverbsAdverbsAdverbsAdverbs

DowntonersDowntonersDowntonersDowntoners

FairlyFairlyFairlyFairly

QuiteQuiteQuiteQuite

RatherRatherRatherRather

QUITE

Consider the following two sentences:

She was quitequitequitequite tired

DowntonerDowntonerDowntonerDowntoner

She was quitequitequitequite exhausted

AbsolutenessAbsolutenessAbsolutenessAbsoluteness

CAN WE INTENSIFY UNGRADABLE ADJECTIVES?

Yes. It can be done with intensifiers implying

absoluteness

absolutely, completely, totally, utterlyabsolutely, completely, totally, utterlyabsolutely, completely, totally, utterlyabsolutely, completely, totally, utterly

I was utterlyutterlyutterlyutterly terrified when he told me I I was utterlyutterlyutterlyutterly terrified when he told me I

would lose my house.

This animal is completelycompletelycompletelycompletely dead.

MODIFYING COMPARISONS: A BIG DIFFERENCE

much, a lot, farmuch, a lot, farmuch, a lot, farmuch, a lot, far

London is much more expensive much more expensive much more expensive much more expensive than Rome

She is a lot richer a lot richer a lot richer a lot richer than me

Your essay is far better is far better is far better is far better than mine

MODIFYING COMPARISONS: A SMALL

DIFFERENCE

Slightly, a little, a bit, not muchSlightly, a little, a bit, not muchSlightly, a little, a bit, not muchSlightly, a little, a bit, not much

Your mark was slightly better slightly better slightly better slightly better than Peter’s

This jumper is a little more expensive a little more expensive a little more expensive a little more expensive than the red one.

My ticket was not much easier not much easier not much easier not much easier to get than yours.

MODIFYING COMPARISONS: NO DIFFERENCE

Exactly, more or less, roughlyExactly, more or less, roughlyExactly, more or less, roughlyExactly, more or less, roughly

He is exactly the same exactly the same exactly the same exactly the same age as me

The amount of water needed for this recipe is

roughly the same roughly the same roughly the same roughly the same

MODIFIYING COMPARISONS: INCREASING

The The The The harder harder harder harder you try you try you try you try to go up the ladder, the the the the

better better better better for your career.

The earlier The earlier The earlier The earlier you arrive, the cheaper the cheaper the cheaper the cheaper tickets

are.