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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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are highly grateful

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are highly grateful" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to express a strong sense of gratitude, but the correct form would be "are very grateful" or "are deeply grateful." Example: "We are very grateful for your support during this challenging time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

We are highly grateful to the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan for financial support.

We are highly grateful for the valuable comments of Laura Esmail and Mamuka Djibuti, and the editorial team on the earlier version of the manuscript.

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/11/28/prepub We are highly grateful to the reviewers for their valuable suggestions and critique.

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/14/49/prepub We are highly grateful to HENNA project (Higher Education Network for Applied Human Nutrition between Eastern Africa and Europe) and the ACP/Edulink programme for financing this study.

The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/12/145/prepub The authors are highly grateful to the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee IAECC) for providing me the laboratory animals for the research project (IAEC Registration number 0436).

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

For academia, such companies are ideal partners: they are highly ambitious, stimulating, and grateful for creative contributions.

Thirdly, the vast majority of feedback and "recommend" ratings gathered from the friends and family test will be highly positive – grateful patients will use this as a way to thank those who cared for them and to reassure their peers of the quality of service.

News & Media

The Guardian

"I was extremely grateful.

I am also highly grateful to the National Meteorology Service Agency of Bahir Dar (NMSA) for providing the necessary data and I also thank my informants in Jigna and Shime kebele, for their hospitality and welcoming approach.

"Then be grateful, be grateful," Eliot responded.

I am grateful, very grateful, for your friendship".

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing gratitude, use more common and grammatically accepted phrases such as "are very grateful" or "are deeply grateful".

Common error

Avoid using "highly" to intensify "grateful". While understandable, it's not standard English. Opt for intensifiers like "very", "deeply", or "extremely" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are highly grateful" functions as a predicate adjective, attempting to express a strong feeling of thankfulness or appreciation. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the usage of "highly" with "grateful" is not standard in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "are highly grateful" aims to express a strong feeling of gratitude, it is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI's analysis confirms, better alternatives include phrases such as "are very grateful" or "are deeply grateful". Although examples can be found across various domains including science, news and formal documents, it is best to opt for grammatically sound alternatives to clearly and effectively convey your appreciation.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "are highly grateful"?

No, it is not considered standard English. A more appropriate phrasing would be "are very grateful" or "are deeply grateful".

What are some alternatives to "are highly grateful"?

Which is correct, "are highly grateful" or "are very grateful"?

"Are very grateful" is the grammatically correct and more commonly used phrase.

What's the difference between "are grateful" and "are highly grateful" if both express thanks?

While both express gratitude, "are grateful" is a general expression of thanks. "Are highly grateful" attempts to intensify the feeling but does so incorrectly; "are very grateful" is the standard way to express a high degree of gratitude.

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Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: