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Friday, November 23, 2012

HOW TO to learn gradable/extreme adjectives

Students tend to have some dreadfully common habits. Oral study time is neglected. Recording to their own voices is not their cup of tea. Repeating some transcripts is out of the question. Study a language means study it as my father studied Latin in a silent way, a Dead language, right? Who spoke it?
Modern English was a "dead" language in the last century, with a generation of students who never spoke much the language in a personal way; a "very dead*" language, wasn't it?  

A: Can you tell us the best way of making lists to learn Gradable / extreme adjectives?
B: Well, If I follow some sheer cold logic ...
A: I don't mind.
B: It's pretty ridiculous when you think about it. You know I mean? it's a fairly impossible job.
A: You mean if I learn lists, these lists are to be far less useful than the practical usage of the square roots in arithmetics?
B: how many times have you used square roots in your practical life?
A: None. 
B: Yeah, a comprehensive nonsense. I gues it is well wrth to find them in the texts you listen to.
A: But I always study English but do not watch English series or listen to audio books.
B: Thus, It must be well worth a try!
A: Are you quite certain**?
B: It has to do with the least helpful sense of all: your common sense. 
A; More than surprised I am astonished.
B: Well, a thoroughly enjoyable conversation indeed. 

The meaning of the adverb "very dead*" language is not correct! But some speakers say it nevertheless
** "quite" changes according to the type of adjective we use it with:
Quite bad (a bit more than fairly); Quite certain (= absolutely)

Try this QUIZZ.
Tip: Don't try to learn lists of gradable and non-gradable adjectives! It's better to understand what makes an adjective gradable or non-gradable. This is a matter of logic and common sense. Most native-speakers have never heard of gradable and non-gradable adjectives. They just "feel" that it doesn't make sense to say "fairly excellent" or "very unique". You probably have the same idea in your language.

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