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Is it correct to say 'a very great refrigerator'. Isn't just 'a great refrigerator' enough? Should we use 'very' before 'great' as in a very great man, or is it 'a great man'. Why? Thanks. sundaresh

S.S.Sundaresh
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  • Ngrams shows that the usage frequency of the phrase very great has been steadily declining for a long time. – Armen Ծիրունյան Nov 06 '14 at 15:05
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    Just as the use of refrigerators was increasing.. hm.. – CowperKettle Nov 06 '14 at 15:12
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    'Unique' is an absolute adjective. 'Very unique' doesn't make sense: it would mean 'very one-of-a-kind'. Compare trying to grade a classifying adjective: *'a very chemical reaction'. However, we use illogical constructions in accepted non-literal ways: 'This glass is very / really / quite ('completely' sense) full' to mean 'It's full, and I'm not approximating'. 'Great' actually is gradable; 'greater' and 'greatest' show this. So 'very great' has more claim to acceptability than 'very full'. But it's not often used, as A E explains. It wouldn't be incorrect, just not the best style. – Edwin Ashworth Nov 06 '14 at 15:33
  • "Only the most conservative of manuals still present this rule [about the non-gradability of absolutes] without qualification. Others recognise that it conflicts with established usage [...]. As for unique [...], the adjective has also acquired the sense 'exceptional, unusual', which quite readily accepts degree modification." Huddleston and Pullum (2001.532), The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. – tunny Nov 07 '14 at 20:26

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Just 'great' by itself is better, or 'particularly great' if it really is very good indeed.

Because 'great' already means 'very good', the phrase 'very great' sounds weird.

Intensifiers with strong adjectives:
Strong adjectives are words like:

enormous, huge = very big
tiny = very small
brilliant = very clever
awful; terrible ; disgusting; dreadful = very bad
certain = very sure
excellent; perfect; ideal; wonderful; splendid = very good
delicious = very tasty

We do not normally use very with these adjectives. We do not say something is "very enormous" or someone is "very brilliant".

With strong adjectives, we normally use intensifiers like:

absolutely, completely, totally, utterly really, exceptionally, particularly, quite

The film was absolutely awful.
He was an exceptionally brilliant child.
The food smelled really disgusting.

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/adjectives/intensifiers

If the fridge is very very very good, then you may want to abandon the words 'good' and 'great', and move on to even more enthusiastic terms:

"Aside from looks and features, these two fantastic fridges are identical." (reviewed.com 2013 Best of Year Refrigerator Awards)

"This fridge is also an incredible performer." (reviewed.com 2013 Best of Year Refrigerator Awards)

"Owners agree that it's a lot of fridge at a great price." (consumersearch.com: Refrigerator Reviews)

You could compare the fridge favourably with other fridges you have known:

"this fridge is the best and most amazing appliance we have ever had." (ao.com: Whirlpool WBE33752NFCTS Freestanding Fridge Freezer - Stainless Steel Look)

Or you could go with Winston Smith and call it a doubleplusgood fridge. ← Joke.

But be warned: "There can’t be a perfect fridge" (AP Physics: Chapter 15: Laws of Thermodynamics, Things I've Learned).

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A E
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    'very great' is less weird if it's meant to indicate size rather than goodness. – curiousdannii Nov 06 '14 at 23:39
  • @curiousdannii: as in "Fuji is a mountain of very great size"? – A E Nov 07 '14 at 09:23
  • This phrase was used by a student in a formal writing submission. I thought it might perhaps be used in informal speech, but not in a formal context. Is this right? – S.S.Sundaresh Nov 07 '14 at 19:13
  • Not used even informally in British English. But it might be ok in other Englishes. I'm guessing from your name that you might be in India? It could be standard usage in Indian English, you tell me.... – A E Nov 07 '14 at 19:15
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    Yes, I think the phrase has appeared many times in newspapers, or, TV, etc here in India, specially when describing leaders of the freedom movement-like Mahatma Gandhi- a very great man; or Nehru, and others – S.S.Sundaresh Nov 07 '14 at 19:20
  • Is there a standard style guide for Indian English? I'd look there. – A E Nov 07 '14 at 19:22
  • This relies on something almost exclusively taught to EFL learners; in native and natural English, even pedants wouldn't bristle to see 'strong' adjectives such as enormous, great, and incredible preceded by very. – Angelos Jul 14 '16 at 12:51
  • @Nothingatall I'm a native speaker (BrEng, London), and I'm afraid I do bristle at that. – A E Jul 14 '16 at 18:16