Gradable Adverbs

A gradable adverb can make a gradable adjective stronger or weaker.

Examples:

• very
• completely
• fairly
• quite
• slightly
• a bit

As in these examples:

• It had been a fairly quiet day so far.
  (adverb/fairly – adjective/quiet)
• He thought that it was a bit strange she hadn’t phoned.
  (adverb/a bit – adjective/strange)