ENGLISH
REFERENCE

a great deal better

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. much better or significantly improved. You use this when you want to emphasize that the difference is quite large.

fixed phr.. an adverbial phrase of degree used to modify the comparative adjective 'better'; functions as an emphatic intensifier.


SIMPLE

I feel a great deal better after sleeping.

CONTEXTUAL

The new software works a great deal better than the old version we used last year.

COMPLEX

The patient's condition is a great deal better today, though the medical staff remains cautious about the long-term prognosis.

Usage

more formal than 'a lot better' but less formal than 'significantly better'.

Teaching tip

highlight that 'a great deal' acts as a single unit of intensification; it can also modify other comparative adjectives like 'more expensive' or 'faster'.

Pitfall

a great deal besta great deal betterthe intensifier 'a great deal' must be followed by a comparative adjective, not a superlative.

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