Lesson 15: Unit 159 - Normal (Base) And Extreme (Strong) Adjectives
This lesson looks at the difference between base (normal) and extreme (strong) adjectives and how to use 'very', 'absolutely' and 'really' correctly with them.
About this lesson
In this lesson you will learn the difference between base (normal) and extreme (strong) adjectives in English. You will learn how to use words such as 'hot' and 'boiling', 'tired' and 'exhausted' to express the degree of a quality more precisely. You will find out which intensifiers go with which type of adjective — 'very' only with base adjectives, 'absolutely' only with strong ones, and 'really' with both. Through a text about cats and practical exercises you will consolidate the new words and rules in context.
40 minutes
What you'll learn
- Distinguish base (normal) adjectives from extreme (strong) adjectives
- Use 'very', 'absolutely' and 'really' correctly as intensifiers
- Know at least 12 pairs of base/strong adjectives from the lesson
- Understand and use the strong adjectives from the text about cats
- Describe animals and situations with suitable, expressive adjectives
Lesson vocabulary
- exhausted After the long walk in the mountain we were so exhausted that we went to bed immediately.
- freezing Can you close the window? It's freezing in here.
- disgusting I don't want to go to that restaurant – the food is disgusting.
- gorgeous What a gorgeous dress! It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen.
- enormous Their house is enormous – they've got ten bedrooms and six bathrooms.
- terrified My aunt is absolutely terrified of spiders and snakes.
- boiling Last summer the temperatures were over 35 degrees – it was absolutely boiling.
- fascinating Cats are fascinating animals.
- astonishing What is really astonishing is that the purring occurs at just the right frequency.
- charming But just how does a cat make those charming sounds?
- huge They have been the center of love, hate and a huge number of superstitions.
- hilarious The film was so hilarious that we couldn't stop laughing.
- awful The weather was absolutely awful – it rained all week.
- filthy His hands were absolutely filthy after working in the garden.
- brilliant She got a brilliant score on her exam – it was absolutely brilliant.
In other languages: Български