a quite hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a quite hard" is not idiomatic and is therefore not correct in written English.
A more appropriate phrase for written English would be "quite hard" - omitting the indefinite article. For example, "The exam was quite hard."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Indeed, data warehouse design in very large operational environments can be a quite hard problem to attack with traditional manual methodologies.

Journal of Systems Architecture

(P12, 55 yrs) It's a quite hard therapy and required a lot of strength.

BMC Infectious Diseases

One man described his experience as follows: It's a quite hard therapy and required a lot of strength.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Second, only a little spare time except the PE classes scheduled was spent for extra physical activity, as a result from a quite hard learning task not only in school but also at home.

BMC Public Health

Finnish is a quite hard language.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

For an outsider, such a reaction is quite hard to fathom.

BBC

Pupil C: This germ's called… it's spread by… Pupil A: Yeah it was quite hard.

BMC Public Health

A NERVOUS YOUNG MAN TAPS A MOUSE KEY, NOT QUITE hard enough to spark a trade.

Forbes

"Actually finding a student was quite hard," she says.

Independent

Giving some of the Nazis a voice was quite hard to stomach: at least one SS soldier we found was completely unrepentant.

The Guardian

"Even then it took a year of quite hard work, twice as long as I expected, but I enjoyed it all," said Garfield.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the construction "a quite hard". The correct idiomatic phrase is "quite hard". For example, say "That exam was quite hard" instead of "That exam was a quite hard".

Common error

The error with "a quite hard" is the unnecessary use of the indefinite article "a". The phrase "quite hard" functions as an adverb modifying an adjective, and does not require an article. Saying "a quite hard" is similar to saying "a very big" when describing a non-countable noun.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a quite hard" functions as an adjective phrase attempting to describe the degree or intensity of something. However, the construction is grammatically incorrect as it misuses the indefinite article. As Ludwig AI indicates, omitting the article results in the grammatically correct phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a quite hard" is grammatically incorrect due to the unnecessary use of the indefinite article "a". As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct and idiomatic phrase is "quite hard". Although "a quite hard" appears across various sources, including news, science, and wiki platforms, its incorrect grammar makes it unsuitable for formal writing. For expressing moderate difficulty, alternatives like "very difficult" or "somewhat tough" can be used depending on the specific nuance required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Quite hard

Omits the indefinite article "a", resulting in a grammatically correct phrase.

Very difficult

Replaces "quite hard" with a more formal synonym, emphasizing the level of difficulty.

Extremely challenging

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging", highlighting the demanding nature of the task.

Somewhat tough

Uses "tough" instead of "hard" and adds "somewhat" to soften the intensity.

Reasonably arduous

Employs "arduous", indicating a laborious or strenuous task, in place of "hard".

Moderately demanding

Replaces "hard" with "demanding", implying a requirement of significant effort or skill.

A bit tricky

Uses "tricky" to suggest a need for careful handling or cleverness.

Not easy

States the lack of ease directly, rather than describing the level of difficulty.

Presents some difficulty

Phrases the difficulty as a characteristic of something, avoiding a direct statement.

Poses a challenge

Replaces "hard" with "challenge", framing the difficulty as an opportunity for growth.

FAQs

How can I use the phrase "quite hard" correctly in a sentence?

Use "quite hard" to describe the intensity or degree of difficulty. For example: "The test was "quite hard"" or "It's "quite hard" to believe".

What are some alternatives to saying something is "quite hard"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "very difficult", "extremely challenging", or "somewhat tough" to convey varying degrees of difficulty.

Is there a difference in meaning between "quite hard" and "very hard"?

"Quite hard" suggests a moderate level of difficulty, while "very hard" indicates a higher degree of difficulty. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Why is "a quite hard" grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "a quite hard" is incorrect because "quite" modifies the adjective "hard" directly. The indefinite article "a" is not needed, and it disrupts the correct grammatical structure. The right way to express this is ""quite hard"".