was fairly quick

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was fairly quick" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that happened in a relatively short amount of time, often in a comparative context. Example: "The response to the customer inquiry was fairly quick, which pleased the client."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Even coming from downtown was fairly quick, given the rumors of expected marathon security checks.

The New York Times - Sports

The teams played a 20-inning game earlier this year, but the resolution was fairly quick Tuesday night.

The New York Times - Sports

Being a cutting-edge place, California was fairly quick in coming up with a program, the very one that everybody in Washington is now standing in line to decry.

The New York Times

And mine was fairly quick and relatively easy, but it's a very interesting thing because he did say to me, 'Be happy that we don't have children or I would not have made this easy for you.'" She paused, and then added: "And therein lies why I'm not there anymore".

Independent

Q: "How long did landowner agreements take to negotiate?" A: "The land agreement… was fairly quick.

TechCrunch

In tests, the process of using the code was fairly quick and painless.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

I was fairly quick-witted and I soon found out how cruel I could be, but I didn't really like that.

Huffington Post

"Once I have the idea, it's fairly quick," he said.

The New York Times

I wanted to find out just how fit and fast I could get, which turned out to be fairly quick.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This isn't a traditional version: It's fairly quick, and it relies on a heavy-bottomed saucepan rather than a tagine.

The New York Times

And I felt that I had enough skills that it was going to be fairly quick for me to find another position.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing processes or actions, use "was fairly quick" to indicate a moderate level of speed, suggesting it was faster than expected or average. Consider the context and audience to ensure the level of formality is appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "was fairly quick" when the action was exceptionally fast. In such cases, stronger adjectives like "rapid" or "swift" are more fitting. This ensures that the description accurately reflects the actual speed of the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was fairly quick" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to describe the speed at which an action or process occurred. As Ludwig AI shows, it indicates that something happened in a relatively short amount of time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was fairly quick" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe something that happened in a relatively short amount of time. According to Ludwig AI, it's an adverbial phrase that modifies verbs or clauses. While it appears most frequently in News & Media sources, it can also be found in Wiki and Science contexts. When aiming for more formal writing, consider more precise synonyms. Although "was fairly quick" can be used as a more informative expression, it should be avoided when something is exceptionally fast.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was reasonably fast

Replaces "fairly" with "reasonably", suggesting a slightly more objective assessment of speed.

was quite rapid

Substitutes both "fairly" and "quick" for stronger synonyms, conveying a sense of greater speed.

was relatively speedy

Emphasizes the comparative aspect of the speed, highlighting that it was faster than expected or usual.

was surprisingly swift

Adds an element of surprise to the speed of the action.

happened rather swiftly

Changes the structure to emphasize the action of happening, while maintaining a similar level of formality.

transpired quite promptly

Uses more formal language to indicate that something occurred without delay.

occurred with some haste

Suggests that the action was performed quickly, possibly due to urgency.

was completed in short order

Emphasizes the efficiency and speed of completion.

didn't take long

Uses a more informal and direct way to express that the duration was short.

moved at a decent clip

Uses idiomatic language to describe the speed of progression.

FAQs

How can I use "was fairly quick" in a sentence?

You can use "was fairly quick" to describe the duration of an event or process, such as "The meeting "was fairly quick", lasting only 30 minutes".

What are some alternatives to "was fairly quick"?

Alternatives include "was reasonably fast", "was quite rapid", or "was relatively speedy", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "was fairly quick" in formal writing?

While "was fairly quick" is generally acceptable, consider using more formal alternatives like "transpired quite promptly" in highly formal contexts.

What's the difference between "was fairly quick" and "was very quick"?

"Was very quick" implies a higher degree of speed compared to "was fairly quick". "Was fairly quick" suggests the action was faster than expected or average, while "was very quick" emphasizes the action's speed.