very fast

USAGE SUMMARY

"very fast" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize the speed at which something happens. For example: "The cheetah ran very fast and escaped the hunter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Fast, very fast.

Forbes

"This happened very fast.

The New York Times

He's very fast.

The New York Times - Sports

She worked very fast.

The New Yorker

It's fast; very fast.

Independent

Talked very fast.

The New Yorker

He writes very fast.

The New Yorker

It's very, very fast.

The New York Times

That is very fast.

The Economist

Stewart is very fast.

The New Yorker

Very, very fast.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To emphasize the degree of speed, consider adding context that illustrates the quickness. For example, "The reaction was "very fast", occurring in a matter of milliseconds."

Common error

While "very fast" is acceptable, overuse can weaken your writing. In formal contexts, consider stronger, more precise synonyms like "rapid", "swift", or "expeditious" to convey the same meaning with greater impact.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "very fast" is to act as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its speed. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. Example: "a "very fast" car".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

21%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "very fast" is a grammatically sound and commonly used adjectival phrase that emphasizes the speed of something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous real-world examples. While versatile, it is important to consider context and choose more precise synonyms like "extremely quick", "incredibly rapid", or "lightning-fast", especially in formal writing. Over all, "very fast" serves effectively to communicate and highlight the rapidity of actions, processes, or objects in diverse contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely quick

Replaces "fast" with "quick" and "very" with "extremely", both intensifying adjectives.

incredibly rapid

Substitutes "fast" with "rapid" and "very" with "incredibly", altering the specific adjective but maintaining the meaning.

lightning-fast

Employs a compound adjective to describe the speed, adding a descriptive element.

at top speed

Highlights the attainment of maximum speed, rather than simply stating it's fast.

blinding speed

Uses a noun phrase to convey the idea of extreme speed, rather than an adjective.

with great velocity

Replaces "fast" with the more formal term "velocity", maintaining the core meaning but with a technical feel.

supersonic

Uses a single word to denote speed exceeding that of sound, implying very high speed.

at breakneck pace

Expresses speed through an idiomatic phrase, focusing on the potential danger of the speed.

rapidly

Uses an adverb to describe the speed of an action.

swiftly

Similar to "rapidly" but with a slightly different connotation of smoothness and ease.

FAQs

How can I use "very fast" in a sentence?

You can use "very fast" to describe the speed of an object, action, or process. For instance, "The car was moving "very fast"" or "She learned the new software "very fast"".

What are some alternatives to saying "very fast"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "extremely quick", "incredibly rapid", or "lightning-fast".

Is it grammatically correct to say "very fast"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Very" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "fast", creating a phrase that emphasizes speed.

Which is better, "very fast" or "extremely fast"?

Both "very fast" and "extremely fast" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on the level of emphasis you want to convey. "Extremely fast" suggests an even greater degree of speed than "very fast".