a rather larger

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a rather larger" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "a rather large" or "a larger." Example: "I found a rather large book on the shelf that caught my attention."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

ARM, the chip-designer offshoot of Acorn, made fortunes for a rather larger number.

The Guardian - Tech

He brought in a rather larger cadre of outsiders and was notorious for distrusting Bank staff.

The Economist

It has only been in cinemas for six weeks, so could well end up with a rather larger haul.

The Guardian - Film

More radical, but drawing from a rather larger range of examples, was the American psychologist J.H. Leuba (1868 1946).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The book has spawned a rather larger world of Don Camillo: three subsequent novels, two additional English short story collections, six films, and two BBC adaptations.

The Guardian - Books

Twenty-three years later, as chancellor of the exchequer, that same strategy has been successfully refined and redeployed, albeit on a rather larger scale.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

That is a rather large sticking point.

The New York Times

That's a rather large "if", though.

The Guardian - Sport

"It was a rather large ball mark," Stricker said.

The New York Times - Sports

But a rather large drop from the previous year.

The New York Times

If not, that would be a rather large intelligence failure.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to convey a slightly elevated degree of largeness, it's grammatically safer to use "a rather large" or "a much larger" instead of "a rather larger".

Common error

Avoid using double comparatives (like "larger" after "rather"). Instead, stick to "a rather large" or use a single comparative adjective modification like "a much larger" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a rather larger" functions as an adjectival modifier, attempting to describe a noun's size. However, it's grammatically flawed. Ludwig AI indicates it is not standard English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

23%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a rather larger" appears in various sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms this, suggesting "a rather large" or "a much larger" as more appropriate alternatives. Its presence in news and scientific articles indicates a broad usage, but careful writers should opt for grammatically sound options to maintain clarity and professionalism. Despite its common occurrence, prioritize accuracy over perpetuating a grammatical error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a much larger

Replaces "rather" with "much", which is a more common and grammatically correct way to express a significant size difference.

a significantly larger

Replaces "rather" with "significantly", focusing on the importance of the difference in size.

a considerably larger

Replaces "rather" with "considerably", emphasizing a noticeable size difference.

a noticeably bigger

Uses "noticeably" instead of "rather" and "bigger" for "larger", suggesting the increase is easily observed.

a considerably bigger

Replaces "rather" with "considerably" and "larger" with "bigger", emphasizing a significant increase in size.

a significantly bigger

Replaces "rather" with "significantly" and "larger" with "bigger", highlighting the importance of the size difference.

a substantially larger

Substitutes "rather" with "substantially", indicating a major size difference.

a markedly greater

Substitutes "rather" with "markedly" and "larger" with "greater", indicating a clear and distinct difference.

a substantially greater

Substitutes "rather" with "substantially" and "larger" with "greater", indicating a notable difference in magnitude or amount.

a good deal larger

Replaces "rather" with "a good deal", providing a more informal but correct alternative.

FAQs

Is "a rather larger" grammatically correct?

No, "a rather larger" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing would be "a rather large" or "a much larger".

What's a better way to say "a rather larger"?

Instead of "a rather larger", you can say "a rather large", "a much larger", or "a considerably larger" depending on the level of emphasis you want to convey.

What is the difference between "a rather larger" and "a rather large"?

"A rather larger" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a rather large", where "large" is the base adjective.

In what contexts might I use "a rather large" instead of "a rather larger"?

Since "a rather larger" is incorrect, always use "a rather large" in any context where you want to describe something as somewhat big. For a stronger emphasis, use "a much larger".