That was very fast

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "That was very fast" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express surprise or admiration at the speed of an action or event. For example, "That was very fast; I didn't expect you to finish so quickly." Alternative expressions include "That was quick" and "That was speedy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

So to write something that was very relevant to our time I wanted to write something that was very fast, that kept a reader moving.

The Guardian - Books

Update: Well that was very fast indeed.

TechCrunch

To run Unix effectively we needed some hardware that was very fast, that was simple enough to put into a minor spin of the ST's memory controller with little project risk, and that would still provide some kind of memory relocation and protection.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

You are a world champion in a sport that is very fast and very dangerous.

The Guardian - Sport

If you like rice with your stir-fry, there is microwave brown rice that is very fast.

Harvard University

SVMmulticlass uses the multi-class formulation described in, but optimizes it with an algorithm that is very fast in the linear case.

Cornell University

We've shown that once it enters the cell it gets degraded within an hour or two hours, that's very fast," he added.

Independent

We find a rise in the federal funds rate in response to benefit increases that is very fast, economically large, and highly statistically significant.

The Economist

The end result is a switch that's very fast, has low background noise, and most importantly, preserves the quantum information.

MIT Technology Review

This makes for an always on workspace that is very fast.

TechCrunch

“That isn’t to belittle the good sailors on these boats; it’s to say they’re managing a boat that is very fast.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, prefer this simple structure to describe observed reaction times or data processing speeds for clarity.

Common error

A common mistake for non-native speakers is to add -ly to fast to create an adverb. Fast is both an adjective and an adverb, so saying "That happened very fastly" is incorrect; always stick to "That was very fast".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "That was very fast" functions as a declarative sentence where the demonstrative pronoun "that" serves as the subject. The linking verb "was" connects the subject to the adjectival phrase "very fast", which acts as the subject complement. According to Ludwig AI, this structure is used to categorize a past event as having high velocity or efficiency.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

38%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "That was very fast" is a versatile and correct expression found across a wide variety of English dialects and professional domains. As noted by Ludwig AI, while the exact four-word sequence appears less frequently than its variations, it is a staple in reporting both human achievements and scientific results. It is particularly effective in science for describing rapid processes, such as "the adsorption process was very fast". When using it, remember that "fast" serves as its own adverb, so no suffix is required. For more colorful writing, you might consider using an alternative like "remarkably swift" or "done in a flash".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

That was lightning fast

Uses a metaphor to imply extreme, almost instantaneous speed.

That was extremely quick

Replaces fast with quick, which often refers to the short duration of a single task.

That was remarkably swift

Adds a more formal and elegant tone using swift.

It happened very rapidly

Changes the verb to happened and uses the adverb rapidly for a more technical feel.

That was done in no time

Uses a common idiom to express that the action took almost no duration.

That occurred in an instant

Focuses on the precise moment of completion.

That was impressively prompt

Suggests that the speed was not only fast but also timely or helpful.

That was incredibly speedy

Uses an informal adjective to convey enthusiasm.

That took no time at all

Emphasizes the lack of elapsed time through emphatic negation.

That occurred at high speed

Shifts to a prepositional phrase for a more objective, descriptive style.

FAQs

How do I use "That was very fast" in a sentence?

You can use it as a standalone reaction or as part of a larger observation, such as: "I just sent the email and you already replied; "that was very fast"."

What can I say instead of "That was very fast"?

Depending on the tone, you could use "that was quick" for everyday tasks, or "that was lightning fast" for something truly surprising.

What is the difference between "That was very fast" and "That was very quick"?

While often interchangeable, "fast" usually refers to the speed of movement or a process, whereas "that was very quick" often refers to the short amount of time a task took to complete.

Is "That was very fast" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. It follows the standard subject-verb-complement structure and is widely supported by examples in Ludwig AI from sources like The New York Times and Science Magazine.