Gradable / Non-gradable adjectives

形容词既有可分级的也有不可分级的。

Adjectives can be either gradable or non-gradable

还可以同时是可分级又不可分级的。

 

Gradable

可分级的

Gradable adjectives are adjectives like ‘cold’ ‘hot’ and ‘frightened’. You can be very cold or a bit cold. Gradable adjectives show that something can have different degrees.

可分级的形容词有像“cold冷的”、“hot热的”和“frightened害怕的”的。因为你可以非常冷(cold)或者有一点冷。可分级的形容词表示该事物是有不同的级别的。


Non-gradable

不可分级的

Non-gradable adjectives are adjectives like ‘married’ or ‘wooden’. You can’t be very married or a bit married. Non-gradable adjectives do not have different degrees.

不可分级的形容词像“married结婚”或者“wooden呆板的”,你不可能有点结婚或者完全结婚。不可分级的形容词表示该事物不会有不同的等级。

Adjectives like ‘terrifying’, ‘freezing’ ‘amazing’ are also non-gradable adjectives. They already contain the idea of ‘very’ in their definitions – ‘freezing’ means ‘very cold’ etc.

像“terrifying令人恐惧的”“freezing严寒的”“amazing令人惊异的”同时也是不可分级的形容词,因为它们本身已经包含了“very非常”的意义。

 

Using adverbs of degree

用程度副词修饰

When we use adverbs of degree to modify adjectives we usually have to use different adverbs for gradable and non-gradable adjectives.

当我们用程度副词修饰形容词的时候,我们通常要根据可分级的和不可分级的去选择不同的副词。

   NOT I’m completely hot.

   NOT It was very fantastic!

 

With gradable adjectives

修饰可分级的形容词的副词

   It’s a bit cold in here. Shall I turn the fire on?

   He’s very interested in history. Why don’t you buy him a history book?

   This exercise is really difficult. I don’t know any of the answers.

   I’m extremely tired. I’m going to bed.

The adverbs a bit, very, really, extremely and quite can all be used with gradable adjectives.

这些副词a bit, very, really, extremely和quite都可以用来修饰可分级的形容词。


With non-gradable adjectives

修饰不可分级的形容词

   It’s absolutely freezing in here. Shall I turn the fire on?

   He’s completely fascinated by history. Why don’t you buy him a history book?

   This exercise is absolutely impossible.

   That film is really terrifying. Don’t go and see it on your own.

The adverbs absolutely and completely can be used with non-gradable adjectives.

副词absolutely 和completely可以用来修饰不可分级的形容词。

Notice that really can be used with both gradable AND non-gradable adjectives.

请注意really可以同时用来修饰可分级的形容词和不可分级的形容词。

 

NOTE: There are other adverbs of degree that we haven’t covered in this section. The ones included here are some of the most common.

我们这里只列举出了最常见的。还有很多程度副词大家要课后好好学习哦