Gradable and Extreme Adjectives- Practice Discussion Questions

Gradable and extreme adjectives practice discussion questions

Work in small groups. Ask questions from below to try to find things that you both agree on/ all agree on. When you agree or if you can’t agree, move onto other questions/ topics.

Useful phrases for agreeing I totally agree. That’s quite right. I have exactly the same opinion. I think that is fair/ a good description.

Useful phrases for disagreeing I wouldn’t go as far as that. I’d say…/ I wouldn’t go as far as to say… More like… I would go even further and say…

 

Questions with extreme adjectives

Would you describe … as…?

Would you describe Olympic pole jumpers as utterly awe-inspiring?

Would you describe summers here as absolutely baking/ boiling/ roasting?

Would you describe your best dish as brilliant/ excellent/ fabulous/ fantastic/ marvellous/ splendid/ superb/ terrific/ flawless/ impeccable/ perfect?

Would you describe most exam fees as totally exorbitant?

Would you describe silent comedies like Charlie Chaplin as hilarious/ side-splitting?

Would you describe modern physics as completely mind-boggling/ mystifying?

Would you describe your honeymoon as totally unforgettable?

Would you describe frog as absolutely delicious/ lip-smacking/ mouth-watering?

 

Would you agree that… is/ are…?

Would you agree that calendars with pictures of kittens are delightful/ lovely?

Would you agree that mobile phone companies’ customer service is infuriating?

Would you agree that Van Gogh’s paintings are absolutely unique?

 

Would you say that… is…?

Would you say that this country’s national debt is absolutely enormous/ huge/ massive?

Would you say that cross country skiing is exhausting?

Would you say that stopping global warming is impossible?

Would you say that roller coasters are absolutely thrilling?

 

How would you feel if…?

How would you feel is someone described your younger self as gorgeous/ stunning?

 

Would you… if you were…?

Would you give your employees the afternoon off if you were delighted with their work?

Would you work as a jockey if you miniscule/ minute/ tiny?

Would you eat food that you’d dropped on the ground if you were famished/ starving?

Would you be overjoyed if you could appear on TV?

 

Would you… if…?

Would you be amazed/ astonished if there was another financial crash in the next year?

Would you stay up all night if your book was captivating/ fascinating/ spellbinding?

Would you continue in a job you hated if it was crucial/ essential/ vital for the economy?

Would you be enraged/ furious if someone cancelled a date at the last minute?

Would you stay in an absolutely filthy hotel if it was incredibly cheap?

Would you leave the cinema if the action movie turned out to be idiotic/ ridiculous?

Would you wait for the next train if one was absolutely cram packed/ jam packed/ packed?

Would you fall asleep if a class was really mind-numbing/ stupefying?
Would you drink beer at lunchtime if you were parched and there was nothing else?

Would you be absolutely petrified/ terrified if a roller coaster got stuck?

Would you quit a university course if you decided it was completely pointless/ worthless?

 

Would you… (just) because…?

Would you quit a job just because your boss was absolutely awful/ dreadful/ terrible?

Would you be devastated if most people gave your YouTube video thumbs down?

Would you stop a video if it was absolutely heart wrenching?

Would you renew your passport just because someone said your photo was hideous?

Would you marry someone just because they were filthy rich/ loaded?

 

What would you do if…?

What would you do if your spouse came home blotto/ wasted/ wrecked 3 nights in a row?

What would you do if your boy/girlfriend was broke/ penniless/ poverty stricken?

What would you do if your B&B breakfast was absolutely disgusting/ repulsive/ revolting?

What would you do if the music from next door was ear splitting in the middle of the day?

What would you do if you got an excruciating headache at work?

What would you do if you were absolutely exhausted/ knackered/ shattered at 3 at work?

What would you do if the weather turned absolutely freezing while you were hiking?

What would you do if you saw really horrible gossip about a colleague on social media?

What would you do if your young kids were hyper?

What would you do if you got absolutely soaked/ soaking in the rain?

What would you do if your dinner party guests looked absolutely stuffed after the starter?

 

Questions with gradable adjectives

What would you do if…?

What would you do if you found a colleague’s presentation a little amusing/ funny?

What would you do if your boss’s idea was incredibly bad?

What would you do if someone bought you an extremely big soft toy?

What would you do if an expensive book had a really boring first chapter?

 

Would you describe… as…?

Would you describe modern dance music as slightly annoying/ irritating?

Would you describe English grammar is fairly confusing?

Would you describe most beaches near here as very dirty in the summer?
Would you describe 3D cinema as not very exciting (any more)?

 

How… is/ are… (in this country/ town)?

How attractive/ pretty is the nearest castle?

How crowded are most shopping centres in this town on Saturdays?

How difficult is it to stop eating cakes?

How expensive/ pricey are newspapers in this country?

How frightening/ scary is it to walk home alone at night in this town?

How good was Mother Teresa?

How necessary/ important is brain training as you get older?

How impressive are body builders’ bodies?

How interesting is celebrity gossip?

How loud/ noisy are election campaigns?

How memorable was your graduation ceremony?

How moving are most classic weepie movies from your country?

How nasty are most celebrity gossip magazines in this country?

How nice are most kindergarten teachers in your country?

How painful is spraining your ankle?

How silly/ stupid are most YouTube comments in your language?

How small are most young people’s first homes (after leaving home)?

How tiring is commuting from the suburbs of this town?

How ugly are most police stations in this town?

How unimportant are mid-term tests in your country?

How yucky are snails?

 

How… would you be if…?

How annoyed would you be if your landlord suddenly raised your rent?

How cool/ cold would you be if your home’s heating stopped working tonight?

How depressed/ sad/ unhappy would you be if your favourite sports team disappeared?

How energetic would you be if you got 10 hours’ sleep?

How frightened/ scared would you be if you found a small spider on your pillow?

How glad/ happy/ pleased would you be if you got a promotion?

How surprised would you be if one of your secondary school teachers contacted you?

 

How… would you have to be to…?

How disappointed would you have to be to complain at a theme park?

How drunk/ tipsy would you have to be to tell a boss what you really thought of him/ her?

How full would you have to be to turn down a free dessert in a restaurant?

How hungry/ peckish would you have to be to eat a large Macdonald’s meal?

How poor would you have to be to steal food?

How rich/ wealthy would you have to be to quit your job?

How sleepy/ tired would you have to be to sleep past your stop on the train?

How thirsty would you have to be to drink from a mountain stream?

 

How… would… have to be for you to…?

How different/ distinctive/ original would a painting have to be for you to spend a month’s wages on it?

How hot/ warm would it have to be for you to wear shorts and flipflops in the city?

How wet would your shoes have to be for you to buy a new pair on the way to work?

 

Ask about any questions above which you couldn’t understand or couldn’t answer.

 

Gradable and extreme adjectives grammar presentation

Try to think of extreme adjective versions of all the gradable adjectives above.

Look at the extreme adjective questions for (mixed) possible answers.

Brainstorm suitable adverbs to go with each kind of adjective, then look above to check.

 

Freer gradable and extreme adjectives questions speaking

Ask and answer similar questions that you make from these question stems:

• How would you feel if…?
• How… is/ are… (in this country/ town)?
• How… would you be if…?
• How… would you have to be to…?
• How… would… have to be for you to…?
• What would you do if…?
• Would you agree that… is/ are…?
• Would you describe … as…?
• Would you say that… is…?
• Would you… (just) because…?
• Would you… if you were…?
• Would you… if…?