was very terrible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was very terrible" is not considered correct in standard written English due to the redundancy of "very" with "terrible." It can be used informally, but it is better to choose a more precise adjective or adverb to convey the intended meaning.
Example: "The movie was very terrible, and I couldn't sit through it."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It was very terrible".

The New York Times

"It was very terrible sleeping in those cells," Maguwu, 36, said this week.

The Guardian

We were becalmed the 21st and 22nd but we had rather more wind the 23rd but in the afternoon were all alarmed by a squall of wind accompanied by thunder and lightning which was very terrible and we had one of our mainsails that had just been mended torn to rags again with the wind.

The New Yorker

**{:.break one} ** We were becalmed the 21st and 22nd but we had rather more wind the 23rd but in the afternoon were all alarmed by a squall of wind accompanied by thunder and lightning which was very terrible and we had one of our mainsails that had just been mended torn to rags again with the wind.

The New Yorker

"My wife came along and especially being an American, transition was very terrible for her.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

It's very terrible".

The New York Times

"The future is guaranteed to be very terrible in a very short space of time.

The Guardian

"The social stigma of childlessness is very terrible in India," says the doctor.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"You're such a DORK!" I assumed this was a bad thing and that the rest of my time at camp would be very terrible indeed.

The New Yorker

The source claimed to have written to Mr McKendry because the CEO had previously been in contact with the band, in the hopes that "you guys help us to telling the world that the life conditions of us is very terrible and spread the news".

Independent

If it was accidental, that would be very terrible, too," Pelosi argued.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "very" with strong adjectives like "terrible". Opt for a more precise and impactful word choice such as "awful", "dreadful", or "horrific".

Common error

Resist the urge to intensify adjectives unnecessarily. Using "very" before a word like "terrible" weakens the impact. Instead, select a more descriptive and powerful single word.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was very terrible" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun. It aims to describe something as exceptionally bad or unpleasant. However, as Ludwig AI suggests, it can be improved by using a stronger, single adjective to avoid redundancy.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "was very terrible" is understandable, it's not the most effective phrasing. Ludwig AI correctly identifies that the use of "very" with a strong adjective like "terrible" creates redundancy and weakens the impact. The examples from Ludwig show the phrase appearing in news and media contexts, but it's generally better to opt for a single, more descriptive adjective such as "awful", "dreadful", or "horrific" to convey the intended meaning with greater precision and sophistication. Choosing stronger words demonstrates better command of the language and enhances your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was awful

Replaces "very terrible" with a single, strong adjective.

was dreadful

Similar to "awful", offering another strong adjective.

was extremely bad

Uses "extremely" to emphasize the negativity, but retains "bad".

was quite horrific

Emphasizes the shocking or disturbing nature of something.

was truly appalling

Highlights the offensive or shocking nature.

was utterly devastating

Focuses on the destructive or emotionally damaging aspect.

was exceptionally poor

Emphasizes the lack of quality or standard.

was remarkably unpleasant

Highlights the disagreeable nature of the experience.

was intensely negative

Focuses on the overall negative impact or feeling.

was seriously flawed

Indicates significant imperfections or shortcomings.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "was very terrible"?

You can use stronger adjectives like "was awful", "was dreadful", or "was horrific". These options eliminate the redundant use of "very" and provide a more impactful description.

Is "was very terrible" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "was very terrible" is not considered the best grammatical choice. The word "terrible" already implies a high degree of negativity, making "very" redundant. Opt for a single, stronger adjective instead.

How to use alternatives to "was very terrible" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "The movie was very terrible", try "The movie "was awful"" or "The experience "was dreadful"". Choose an adjective that precisely conveys the degree and nature of negativity.

What's the difference between "was very terrible" and "was terrible"?

"Was terrible" is more concise and impactful. Adding "very" doesn't significantly enhance the meaning and can make the phrase sound less sophisticated. Using "was terrible" conveys the message effectively and directly.