B1 Lesson 18: Strong Adjectives +(Non) Gradable modifiers
FOUNDATIONS_B1-B2
1/12/2026
WARM UP
Think about strong descriptions and opinions.
• Have you ever visited an ancient building?
• Have you ever felt exhausted after work or exercise?
• Do you prefer boiling weather or freezing weather?
• What is the most spectacular place you have visited?
• Have you ever stayed in a tiny hotel room?
Answer in full sentences.
VOCABULARY – EXTREME ADJECTIVES
• ancient – antiguo (muy antiguo)
Example: We visited an ancient temple in Greece.
• enormous – enorme
Example: They live in an enormous house.
• tiny – diminuto
Example: The apartment was tiny but comfortable.
• exhausted – agotado
Example: I was exhausted after the marathon.
• freezing – helado / congelado de frío
Example: It was freezing outside this morning.
• boiling – sofocante / hirviendo de calor
Example: The weather was boiling during the summer.
• spectacular – espectacular
Example: The view from the mountain was spectacular.
• terrible – terrible
Example: We had a terrible journey because of the traffic.
Say each word out loud.
Notice that these adjectives already express a very strong meaning.
GRAMMAR – GRADABLE & NON-GRADABLE ADVERBS
Some adverbs combine naturally with normal adjectives.
Others combine naturally with extreme adjectives.
Gradable Adverbs
Use with normal adjectives.
• very
• really
• extremely
• incredibly
Examples
• The hotel was very comfortable.
• The building was really modern.
• The museum was extremely interesting.
• The apartment was incredibly spacious.
Non-Gradable Adverbs
Use with extreme adjectives.
• absolutely
• totally
• completely
Examples
• The castle was absolutely spectacular.
• I was completely exhausted after work.
• The weather was absolutely freezing.
• The meal was totally terrible.
Common Combinations
✅ absolutely spectacular
✅ absolutely freezing
✅ completely exhausted
✅ totally terrible
✅ absolutely enormous
❌ very freezing
❌ really enormous
❌ very exhausted
(These are common mistakes because the adjective is already extreme.)
GRAMMAR – COMPARATIVE & SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
We use comparatives to compare two things.
We use superlatives to compare three or more things.
Comparatives
• ancient → more ancient
• enormous → more enormous
• tiny → tinier
• spectacular → more spectacular
• terrible → worse
Examples
• This castle is more ancient than the church nearby.
• My hotel room was tinier than yours.
• The view was more spectacular than I expected.
• The journey was worse than last time.
Superlatives
• ancient → the most ancient
• enormous → the most enormous
• tiny → the tiniest
• spectacular → the most spectacular
• terrible → the worst
Examples
• It is the most ancient building in the city.
• That was the tiniest apartment I have ever seen.
• It was the most spectacular landscape of the trip.
• It was the worst holiday of my life.
DIALOGUE – TALKING ABOUT A HOLIDAY
Anna: How was your trip?
Mark: It was absolutely spectacular.
Anna: Really? What was the best part?
Mark: We visited an ancient castle on top of an enormous mountain.
Anna: That sounds amazing.
Mark: It was. However, the weather was absolutely freezing at night.
Anna: Were you tired after all that travelling?
Mark: Yes, I was completely exhausted by the end of the week.
Read again and practise.
SHORT ARTICLE
Last year, I visited one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The city was famous for its ancient buildings and spectacular views. The main square was surrounded by enormous monuments, while the side streets were full of tiny cafés and shops. During the day, the weather was boiling, but at night it became freezing. One afternoon, I climbed a hill to see the city from above. The view was absolutely spectacular and more impressive than any place I had visited before. By the time I returned to my hotel, I was completely exhausted, but the experience was unforgettable.
Read the article twice. Focus on the adverb-adjective combinations and comparative forms.
LANGUAGE SUPPORT
Extreme adjective combinations
• absolutely spectacular
• absolutely freezing
• completely exhausted
• totally terrible
• absolutely enormous
Comparatives
• more spectacular than
• more ancient than
• tinier than
• worse than
Superlatives
• the most spectacular
• the most ancient
• the tiniest
• the worst
Full sentence model
• The castle was absolutely spectacular and more impressive than the museum nearby.
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Answer in full sentences.
• What is the most spectacular place you have ever visited?
• Have you ever seen an ancient building? Where?
• Have you ever stayed somewhere tiny?
• When was the last time you felt completely exhausted?
• Do you prefer boiling summers or freezing winters? Why?
• What is the most enormous building you have ever seen?
• Have you ever had a terrible travel experience?
• What is the most spectacular view in your country?
• What was the worst holiday you have ever had?
• Which place is more spectacular: the mountains or the beach? Why?
HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)
Writing
Write 10 sentences:
• 3 using gradable adverbs
• 3 using non-gradable adverbs
• 2 using comparatives
• 2 using superlatives
Use at least 8 vocabulary words from the lesson.
Recording
Read your sentences aloud clearly.
Focus on natural stress in expressions such as absolutely spectacular, completely exhausted, and totally terrible.