Adjectives used attributively and predicately--not equally used?

Hi. Please tell me what you think about things I said about adjectives and their uses in sentences below.

I think attributively (I think it is the right word) an adjective can take on many forms more freely than otherwise used predicatively (I also think it is the right word).

Let us use the phrases "first-rate" and "next-door" attributively before nouns, like this:

first-rate response and next-door neighbors

But to do so predicately render the impression of them being awkward (in sentences). Here below I used the adverbs "so" and "very" to make my point more vividly (not sure you will agree, though).

... is so/very first-rate.

... is so/very next-door