Quite and Rather – Medicsenglish.com

Quite
Rather

Quite

Quite can have two meanings. Firstly, the meaning of less than, but more than a little. It comes before a gradable adjective, adverb or verb, and before the aor an with a noun.

Examples:

He is quite sick . His temperature is 40°.
She is driving quite quickly for a learner.
It is quite an old method.
He quite likes to go to see his parents at the weekend, because they give him a good lunch.

Quite cannot be used before comparatives. Other words such as rather, a bit or much are used instead.

Examples:

He is a bit broader than he was a few years ago. (NOT- he is quite broader than he was a few years ago.)
The ward is rather bigger than I expected, I don’t know if he will like being with so many people.
The ambulance is much later than it should be. (NOT – the ambulance is quite later than it should be.)

There is one exception, however,quite can be used with better.

Examples:

My mother is feeling quite better today.

Secondly quite can mean completely, when used with non gradable adjectives, such as: certain, perfect, impossible, different, wrong, right and true.

Examples:

It is quite impossible to park at the hospital these days. (It is completely impossible …….)
The nursing home is quite perfect, you have understood our needs exactly. (The nursing home is absolutely perfect….)

Quite is also used in this way with verbs.

Examples:

We haven’t quite finished the ward round, can you call back later?
I quite agree with you.

Rather

Rather is an adverb of degree, which is similar in meaning to quite but is used mainly with negative words or negative ideas.

Examples:

It’s rather wet in the garden, you had better put your wellies on.
We are walking rather slowly, we will be late for the appointment , if we don’t get a move on.
I think it is rather a long way to walk, I think we will have to get a taxi.

Rather is usually put before the article when used with a noun, but if there is an adjective with the noun, it can be placed before or after a/an. It is not usually used with plural nouns