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QUITE & RATHER

QUITE

With gradable words, it means 'near the maximum degree' (1). With ungradable words, it means '100 per cent' (2, 3, 4). It usually goes with positive words.

Examples:

1. Your work is quite good.
2. You are quite (= perfectly) right.
3. I quite (= entirely) understand.
4. I am quite sure

   RATHER

It is similar to quite but it usually goes with negative words (1, 2). With positive ideas, it means 'unusually, surprisingly'. (3)

1. This is rather difficult to do. (also 'quite difficult')
2. It is rather cold today.
3. It turned out to be a rather interesting film.

Only rather can be used in front of a comparative. (1)

1. She is rather taller than me.

© E Pérez - 2006 (arrayan.canalblog.com)

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