Rather and Fairly

1/Both are adverbs and mean moderately

2/Fairlry + favourable adjectives (good,pretty,smart,impressive….)

   Rather + unfavourable adjectives (bad,stupid,boring,unkind….)

3/With rather, the indefinite article can be placed before or after:

§  It’s a rather stupid idea or It’s rather a stupid idea.

4/Fairly and Rather can be used both with fact adjectives (new, old, black are fact adjectives. They give us factual information about, age,colour………..etc.) to express approval or disapproval

§  Fairly is used to express “approval”:

- The weather is fairly cold.  (It implies that the speaker likes the weather)

§  Rather is used to express “disapproval”:

- The weather is rather cold.  (It implies that it is too cold for the speaker)

5/Rather is used with favourable adjectives:

v To express a surprise to others or to the speaker himself:

§  I thought the room would be filthy but it was rather squeaky clean.

*** It can be used in the same with some verbs with the meaning “usual” or “surprisingly”:

§  Most people don’t like swimming in this lake, but I rather enjoy it.