she was very good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "she was very good" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone's skills, performance, or behavior in a positive light. Example: "In her role as a teacher, she was very good at engaging her students and making learning enjoyable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

But she was very good".

Independent

She was very good in school".

The New York Times

I thought she was very good.

Independent

We knew she was very good".

The New Yorker

(though only when she was "very good").

The New York Times - Food

She was very good to me.

The New Yorker

People said she was very good.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

"By that time she was not young anymore, but she was very good-looking," she said.

The New York Times - Books

She is very good to me.

The New Yorker

"She's very good, you know.

The New Yorker

She's very good at that".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "she was very good" when you want to express a general positive assessment of someone's abilities, performance, or behavior. For more specific praise, consider using a more descriptive adjective (e.g., 'she was very insightful,' 'she was very creative').

Common error

While grammatically correct, relying too heavily on "very" can make your writing sound less sophisticated. Instead of saying "she was very good", try a stronger adjective like "she was excellent" or "she was outstanding" to create a more impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "she was very good" primarily functions as a subjective complement, providing a positive assessment of a female subject's qualities or actions. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's a standard English construction used to express approval or admiration. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Wiki

4%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "she was very good" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a positive assessment of a female subject. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used across diverse contexts, including news, media, science and formal business communication. While versatile, overusing "very" can weaken the impact of your writing; consider stronger synonyms like "excellent" or "outstanding" for more impactful praise. The phrase serves to communicate approval, satisfaction or admiration. The phrase's register is generally neutral and the alternative of the usage are: "she excelled", "she performed admirably", or "she was highly skilled" depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she did an excellent job

Focuses on the quality of her work.

she excelled

Focuses on her superior performance.

she was highly skilled

Emphasizes her expertise and proficiency.

she performed admirably

Highlights the praiseworthy nature of her performance.

she was remarkably talented

Highlights her natural aptitude and ability.

she was exceedingly capable

Highlights her general competence and effectiveness.

she was a proficient professional

Emphasizes her competence in a work setting.

she was truly exceptional

Emphasizes the rarity and distinctiveness of her abilities.

she demonstrated great aptitude

Highlights her inherent capacity to learn and perform.

she showed immense promise

Indicates her potential for future success.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "she was very good"?

You can use alternatives like "she excelled", "she performed admirably", or "she was highly skilled" depending on the specific context.

Is "she was very good" formal or informal?

The phrase "she was very good" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, for highly formal situations, consider using more sophisticated vocabulary.

How to use "she was very good" in a sentence?

You can use "she was very good" to describe someone's skills, performance, or behavior. For example, "In her role as a teacher, she was very good at engaging her students and making learning enjoyable."

What's the difference between "she was good" and "she was very good"?

Adding "very" to "she was good" intensifies the degree of goodness. "She was good" implies a satisfactory level, while "she was very good" suggests a higher level of skill or performance.