Fill in the blanks.
1. Your handwriting is ……………….. good, but you can improve it.
If something is fairly good, it is not very good. It is satisfactory. Fairly does not suggest a very high degree.
2. He is ………………………….. tall. He should be able to join the basketball team.
If he is quite or rather tall, then height will not be an issue at all.
3. My room looks ……………………….. neat and tidy. I don’t have to clean it for at least a week.
Either quite or rather can be used here. Both of them express a higher degree than fairly.
4. The exam was ……………………. difficult. I don’t think that I will pass.
Either quite or rather can be used here.
5. His books are ………………………….. difficult to understand. I don’t enjoy reading them at all.
Rather and quite indicate a very high degree.
6. She can speak German ………………….. fluently. People often think she is German.
Rather and quite indicate a very high degree.
7. It is ……………………… foolish of you to behave like that.
8. Her speeches are ………………………… interesting. I make it a point to listen to them.
Rather suggests a very higher degree than fairly.
9. Our team’s performance was ……………………….. a disappointment.
Both quite and rather can modify nouns and verbs.
10. I ……………………….. enjoy her company.
Rather can modify verbs.
11. I was …………………………. disappointed with my results.
If you are quite disappointed, then you are really disappointed.
12. You had better not go out now. It is ………………………….. cold.
All of these expressions suggest very high degrees of something.
Answers
1. Your handwriting is fairly good, but you can improve it.
2. He is fairly tall. He should be able to join the basketball team.
3. My room looks rather / quite neat and tidy. I don’t have to clean it for at least a week.
4. The exam was rather / quite difficult. I don’t think that I will pass.
5. His books are rather difficult to understand. I don’t enjoy reading them at all.
6. She can speak German rather / quite fluently. People often think she is German.
7. It is quite / rather foolish of you to behave like that.
8. Her speeches are rather interesting. I make it a point to listen to them.
9. Our team’s performance was quite / rather a disappointment.
10. I quite / rather enjoy her company.
11. I was rather disappointed with my results.
12. You had better not go out now. It is rather / quite / pretty cold.
