8 min
Episode 204 It Can Be Quite Hard To Use 'Quite' Correctly Emma's ESL English
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- Language Learning
'Quite' is such a common word in English. As you'll see from my closing statement, it's even possible to put it in almost every sentence! So what do all these 'quite's mean? Don't worry, I've got your back.
Today we're learning all the different ways you can use 'quite' correctly in a sentence. I'll give you some examples and show you some mistakes.
I've tried my hardest to keep it simple, but as always, English is just confusing!
From the blog:
Gradable or not? How to use Quite:
This is the first thing to decide. If something is gradable, then we can use 'quite' before it to mean 'fairly' or 'rather'.
I'm quite busy.
I quite like Chinese food.
It can be quite contradictory.
It's quite a common word.
It can be used in quite different ways.
If something is not gradable then using quite emphasises the extremity and means 'completely' or 'totally'.
She's quite amazing.
It's quite impossible for you to come for dinner.
I think that's quite enough!
We can use 'quite' with a noun, but remember the article. Again if it's gradable it means 'fairly' or 'rather'.
I've had quite a nice day today.
I read quite an interesting book last week.
We can use it before 'the' to get 'exactly' or 'completely'.
You got everything quite the wrong way round.
You're doing quite the opposite to what I told you to do.
It's quite he perfect thing.
We don't often use quite with comparisons. But if we use it with 'similar' it means 'fairly similar:
The twins have quite similar personalities.
And if we use it with 'different' it means very 'different'.
My brother and I have quite different personalities.
'Not quite' or the negative is used to mean 'not completely' or 'not exactly'.
I haven't got quite enough votes.
She's not quite ready.
We can use 'quite' to soften something and make it more polite.
He's quite angry isn't he.
I haven't quite finished the project.
Be careful to use alternative measure or counting words when they make more sense or make your meaning clearer:
It's almost the perfect thing.
It's almost time.
It's nearly the perfect thing.
It's nearly time.
Additional Vocabulary
Today we're going back to our roots - idiom - means we're going back to where things started or back to where our ancestors came from
contradictory - different or opposed to what we think or expect or what someone says
gradable - can be a little, a lot or anything in between
inconsistent - changes often or all the time
opposed to - opposite to
reinforcing - to make something stronger
time is finite - there is a limit to it, it doesn't last forever
'Quite' is such a common word in English. As you'll see from my closing statement, it's even possible to put it in almost every sentence! So what do all these 'quite's mean? Don't worry, I've got your back.
Today we're learning all the different ways you can use 'quite' correctly in a sentence. I'll give you some examples and show you some mistakes.
I've tried my hardest to keep it simple, but as always, English is just confusing!
From the blog:
Gradable or not? How to use Quite:
This is the first thing to decide. If something is gradable, then we can use 'quite' before it to mean 'fairly' or 'rather'.
I'm quite busy.
I quite like Chinese food.
It can be quite contradictory.
It's quite a common word.
It can be used in quite different ways.
If something is not gradable then using quite emphasises the extremity and means 'completely' or 'totally'.
She's quite amazing.
It's quite impossible for you to come for dinner.
I think that's quite enough!
We can use 'quite' with a noun, but remember the article. Again if it's gradable it means 'fairly' or 'rather'.
I've had quite a nice day today.
I read quite an interesting book last week.
We can use it before 'the' to get 'exactly' or 'completely'.
You got everything quite the wrong way round.
You're doing quite the opposite to what I told you to do.
It's quite he perfect thing.
We don't often use quite with comparisons. But if we use it with 'similar' it means 'fairly similar:
The twins have quite similar personalities.
And if we use it with 'different' it means very 'different'.
My brother and I have quite different personalities.
'Not quite' or the negative is used to mean 'not completely' or 'not exactly'.
I haven't got quite enough votes.
She's not quite ready.
We can use 'quite' to soften something and make it more polite.
He's quite angry isn't he.
I haven't quite finished the project.
Be careful to use alternative measure or counting words when they make more sense or make your meaning clearer:
It's almost the perfect thing.
It's almost time.
It's nearly the perfect thing.
It's nearly time.
Additional Vocabulary
Today we're going back to our roots - idiom - means we're going back to where things started or back to where our ancestors came from
contradictory - different or opposed to what we think or expect or what someone says
gradable - can be a little, a lot or anything in between
inconsistent - changes often or all the time
opposed to - opposite to
reinforcing - to make something stronger
time is finite - there is a limit to it, it doesn't last forever
8 min