Explanation at your level:
Great is a very happy word. You use it when you like something. If you see a nice dog, you can say, 'That is a great dog!' It means the dog is very good. You can also use it to say 'hello' or 'yes' in a friendly way. For example, if someone asks to meet, you can say, 'That sounds great!' It makes people feel happy when you use this word.
At this level, you use great to talk about your life. You might say, 'I had a great day at school' or 'My friend is a great cook.' It is a useful way to give a compliment. Remember, it is stronger than 'good' but not as specific as 'amazing' or 'wonderful.' It is perfect for talking about your hobbies, food, or the weather.
As an intermediate learner, you can use great to describe abstract concepts. You can talk about 'a great opportunity' or 'a great challenge.' It is often used in collocations like 'a great deal of' to talk about quantity. You will notice that native speakers use it as a filler word to show agreement or enthusiasm in conversations, which helps you sound more natural.
At the upper-intermediate level, you can explore the nuances of great. It can describe historical figures ('the great leaders of the past') or intense emotions. You should also start using it in more formal contexts, such as describing 'a great improvement' in a report. Be careful not to overuse it; try to swap it with synonyms like significant or remarkable to improve your writing style.
In advanced English, great carries weight in academic and literary contexts. You might discuss 'the great debate' or 'the great works of literature.' It implies a sense of scale, legacy, or profound impact. You can also use it ironically or in complex sentence structures to emphasize a point. Understanding its etymological shift from 'size' to 'quality' allows you to use it with more precision in your essays and formal discussions.
At the mastery level, you recognize great not just as a synonym for 'good,' but as a descriptor of magnitude and historical resonance. You can employ it in sophisticated rhetoric, perhaps referencing 'the great unknown' or 'the great divide.' You understand the subtle register differences between 'a great person' (someone of high status) and 'a good person' (someone with high morality). Your usage is nuanced, intentional, and perfectly integrated into high-level discourse.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Means excellent or big
- Very common adjective
- Used in many idioms
- Not a noun
The word great is one of the most versatile adjectives in the English language. At its core, it describes something that is excellent, wonderful, or outstanding. When you say you had a great time, you are telling someone that your experience was very positive.
Beyond just meaning 'good,' great can also refer to size or importance. For example, a 'great mountain' is physically massive, while a 'great leader' is someone of significant influence. It is a word that bridges the gap between simple praise and grand scale.
The word great has deep roots in the Germanic language family. It comes from the Old English word great, which meant 'large, thick, or bulky.' This is related to the Dutch groot and the German groß.
Over centuries, the meaning shifted from purely physical size to abstract qualities like importance and excellence. By the Middle English period, it was commonly used to describe people of high rank or significant achievements. It is fascinating how a word that once just meant 'big' evolved to become the go-to term for 'awesome' in modern English.
You can use great in almost any context, which makes it a staple of daily conversation. It works well in casual settings, such as saying 'That's a great idea!', but it also fits into formal writing when describing 'a great achievement' or 'a great challenge.'
Common collocations include great deal, great success, and great importance. Because it is so common, it is sometimes criticized for being a 'weak' adjective. Try to pair it with specific nouns to give your sentences more punch!
English is full of fun phrases using this word. Great minds think alike is used when two people have the same idea at the same time. Great Scott! is an old-fashioned exclamation of surprise.
Another common one is the great outdoors, referring to nature. You might also hear someone say great shakes, meaning someone is very good at something. Finally, great and small is a poetic way to say 'everyone' or 'everything' regardless of size.
Pronounced as /ɡreɪt/, it rhymes with late, fate, and state. The stress is always on the single syllable. In both British and American English, the pronunciation is remarkably consistent.
Grammatically, it is a standard adjective. It can be used attributively ('a great movie') or predicatively ('the movie was great'). It can also be intensified with words like really, very, or absolutely. Remember, it is not a countable noun, so you never add an 's' to it.
Fun Fact
It originally described physical size, not quality!
Pronunciation Guide
Crisp 'g' and long 'a' sound.
Slightly more nasal 'a' sound.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it like 'grit'
- Dropping the 't' at the end
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Very easy
Very easy
Very easy
Very easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Adjective placement
A great dog
Comparative adjectives
Greater than
Superlative adjectives
The greatest
Examples by Level
That is a great idea!
That is a very good thought.
Adjective before noun.
I had a great time.
I enjoyed myself.
Past tense.
He is a great friend.
He is a very good friend.
Simple present.
The food is great.
The food is delicious.
Predicative adjective.
Have a great day!
Enjoy your day.
Imperative phrase.
That sounds great.
I agree with that.
Linking verb.
What a great movie!
The movie was excellent.
Exclamatory sentence.
We are great at soccer.
We play soccer very well.
Prepositional phrase.
The weather is great today.
She has a great job in the city.
We had a great view from the hotel.
That was a great performance!
He made a great effort to finish.
It is a great place to live.
They are great at solving problems.
I have a great feeling about this.
There is a great deal of work to do.
The team showed great courage.
It was a great honor to meet him.
She has a great sense of humor.
We have a great deal in common.
He is a great fan of jazz music.
The project was a great success.
It makes a great difference to me.
The great majority of students agreed.
He has a great capacity for learning.
It was a great relief to hear the news.
She exerted great influence on the board.
There is a great divide between the two.
The book is a great work of art.
He faced a great challenge at work.
They have great expectations for the future.
The great unknown of space fascinates me.
He is a great proponent of the theory.
The great irony is that he was wrong.
She possesses a great wealth of knowledge.
The great debate continues to this day.
It was a great mistake to ignore the data.
He is a great admirer of classical music.
The great complexity of the issue is clear.
The great works of antiquity are timeless.
He displayed great magnanimity in defeat.
The great architect left a lasting legacy.
She is a great luminary in her field.
The great expanse of the desert is vast.
He has a great disdain for mediocrity.
The great paradox of life is change.
They are a great force to be reckoned with.
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"Great minds think alike"
Two people have the same idea.
You bought the same shirt? Great minds think alike!
casual"The great outdoors"
Nature/the countryside.
I love spending time in the great outdoors.
neutral"Great Scott!"
Expression of surprise.
Great Scott! I forgot my keys!
old-fashioned"Great shakes"
Very good.
He's not exactly great shakes at math.
informal"Great and small"
Everyone/everything.
The news affected everyone, great and small.
literary"A great weight off one's shoulders"
Relief from stress.
Telling the truth was a great weight off my shoulders.
neutralEasily Confused
Both refer to size.
Large is physical; great is abstract.
A large box vs. a great idea.
Both mean impressive.
Grand implies luxury/scale.
A grand hotel vs. a great friend.
Both are positive.
Great is stronger.
A good movie vs. a great movie.
Same root.
Greatly is an adverb.
I appreciate it greatly.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + is + great + at + verb-ing
She is great at singing.
It + is + a + great + noun
It is a great day.
Subject + has + great + noun
He has great potential.
A + great + deal + of + noun
A great deal of time.
The + great + noun + of + noun
The great works of art.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
10
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
It is an adjective, not a noun; never pluralize it.
Sometimes 'very great' sounds unnatural; use stronger adjectives.
Greatly is an adverb; don't use it as an adjective.
Redundant phrase; pick one.
Superlative already implies 'of all'.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a giant gold 'G' in your room.
When Native Speakers Use It
To agree with plans.
Cultural Insight
Very common in US English.
Grammar Shortcut
Never add -s.
Say It Right
Rhymes with late.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't use it as an adverb.
Did You Know?
It used to mean 'big'.
Study Smart
Use it in 3 sentences daily.
Writing Tip
Swap it for variety.
Speaking Tip
Use it with enthusiasm.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
G-R-E-A-T: Good Results Every Awesome Time.
Visual Association
A giant gold star.
Word Web
Défi
Use the word 'great' to describe 3 things today.
Origine du mot
Old English
Original meaning: Large, thick, bulky
Contexte culturel
None
Used constantly in American English as a positive filler.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At work
- Great job
- Great progress
- Great meeting
Socializing
- Great to see you
- Great idea
- Great time
Travel
- Great view
- Great hotel
- Great weather
Education
- Great effort
- Great potential
- Great work
Conversation Starters
"What was the most great thing that happened today?"
"Do you think great leaders are born or made?"
"What is a great book you read recently?"
"Why is it important to have great friends?"
"How do you define a great life?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a great experience you had.
Who is a great person you admire?
What makes a great teacher?
Write about a great goal you want to achieve.
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsGreat is stronger than good.
Yes, but it is less common today.
Use 'excellent' or 'significant' instead.
No, 'greatly' is an adverb.
It is better to use 'huge' or 'enormous'.
No, it is an adjective.
The greatest.
Rarely, only in sarcasm.
Teste-toi
That is a ___ idea!
Great is the correct adjective for praise.
Which means the same as great?
Excellent is a synonym.
Great can be pluralized as 'greats'.
Adjectives are not pluralized.
Word
Signification
Matching collocations.
Subject-Verb-Adjective-Noun order.
He has a ___ of experience.
Great deal is the standard collocation.
Which sentence uses 'great' correctly in a formal context?
The other options have grammar errors.
The word 'greatly' is an adjective.
Greatly is an adverb.
Literary word order.
Word
Signification
Advanced vocabulary matching.
Score : /10
Summary
Great is a versatile word used to express high quality, importance, or large size.
- Means excellent or big
- Very common adjective
- Used in many idioms
- Not a noun
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a giant gold 'G' in your room.
When Native Speakers Use It
To agree with plans.
Cultural Insight
Very common in US English.
Grammar Shortcut
Never add -s.
Exemple
Great idea!
Related Content
Apprendre en contexte
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Expressions liées
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amuse
A2To make someone laugh or smile.
anger
A2C'est un fort sentiment de colère ou d'irritation.
crazy
B1C'est ce qu'on dit de quelqu'un qui agit de manière déraisonnable, bizarre ou qui a perdu la tête.
cry
A2Pleurer, c'est faire couler des larmes, souvent par tristesse.
dear
A2C'est quelqu'un que l'on aime beaucoup et qui compte énormément pour nous.
desire
B2Avoir une très forte envie d'obtenir ou de réaliser quelque chose.
dislike
A2C'est le fait de ne pas apprécier quelqu'un ou quelque chose.
dull
A2Quelque chose qui manque d'intérêt ou de vie. C'est ennuyeux et sans éclat.
excitement
A2C'est un sentiment de grande joie et d'enthousiasme, quand quelque chose d'excitant va arriver.
fantastic
A2C'est quelque chose d'extraordinaire, de vraiment génial ou de très beau.
