Unqualifiable Adjectives

[Brobit]

Hello there,

I've looked in a grammar and over the internet and couldn't find any list of adjectives which can't be qualified such as perfect (exept for the Founding fathres :mrgreen: ) and unique.

can you refere me to a web site or book that has them

Thanks

~B~

[marcchehab]

Hello Brobit

Try to find it under 'non-gradable adjectives'. There are a few pages on that issue in my 'advanced grammar in use' by Cambridge University Press.

However, I would find it rather pointless to actually learn these adjectives by heart, for there are even some, that can be used in both ways, depending on their meaning:

common
Your eye colour is very common. --> frequently found, gradable
You and I have some common interests. --> shared, non-gradable.

So it's more important, in my view, to understand what makes an adjective gradable, rather than learning all of them.

[odyssey]

This page about gradable and non-gradable adjectives may help too:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/adje ... adable.htm