Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Gradable opposites (antonyms)

238d

Open-ended

The most common gradable adjectives occur as pairs of antonyms that denote the

upper and lower parts of an open-ended scale:

tall

short 

hot cold

There are no maximum and minimum points on such a scale. Therefore, adjectives

of this kind may not be premodified by degree adverbs indicating totality, such as

completely

, absolutely, entirely, utterly, totally, wholly:

It’s going to be an 

extremely small stadium.

(It’s going to be a totally small stadium.)

I think it’s a

very beautiful statue.

(I think it’s a completely beautiful statue.)

Û

238e below for how adjectives may be cross-classified, however

Maximum and minimum

Some other gradable adjectives can denote properties on scales which have a

maximum and/or minimum (zero) value:

full

empty 

possible impossible

Such adjectives can be premodified using degree adverbs like absolutely,

completely

, entirely, totally, utterly and other synonyms:

It was 

absolutely full with families with kids.

He is 

completely blind, you know.

So it’s 

utterly impossible, isn’t it?

Other degree adverbs which can premodify gradable adjectives of this second type

include almost, barely, half, scarcely:

[talking about the colour of water coming out of a tap]

When it comes out it looks 

almost white, you know.

I realised I was 

half-naked and fumbled with the buttons of my pyjama jacket.

442 | Adjectives and adjective phrases

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Quite

The degree adverb quite means ‘fairly’, ‘to some extent’ when it premodifies

gradable adjectives which occur on open-ended scales, but means ‘absolutely’

when it premodifies gradable adjectives which occur on a scale which has a

maximum and/or minimum (zero) value:

She’s 

quite tall for her age, isn’t she?

(fairly)

You were 

quite right to refuse to pay.

(absolutely)

A–Z

66 Quite