rather far or rather a long way?

[Verona_82]

Hello,

I'd like to ask a question about the usage of 'far' and 'a long way'. While 'far' is mostly used in negative sentences and questions, it is preferred to 'a long way' in affirmative sentences if preceded by 'too', 'so' or 'as' or followed by 'enough'. Is that the case when it is used with 'quite' or 'rather' ?

(1) My house is rather/quite far from my office.

(2) My house is rather/quite a long way from my office.

Thank you.

PS I've spotted a mistake in my post. 'Far' is mostly used in negative sentences and questions .

 

[Raymott]

Hello,

I'd like to ask a question about the usage of 'far' and 'a long way'. While 'far' is mostly used in affrirmative sentences,
Is it? "It's not far" is very common.

it is preferred to 'a long way' if it is preceded by 'too', 'so' or 'as' or followed by 'enough'.
That's a strange way of putting it. We don't decide to use "too" and then decide that "far" is more appropriate than "a long way". We decide that we want to say "It's too far" and would not even consider "It's a too long way."
But you're right in that we do say, "too far", "so far" etc.

Is that the case when it is used with 'quite' or 'rather' ?


(1) My house is rather/quite far from my office.
I personally wouldn't use 'rather far'.
(2) My house is rather/quite a long way from my office. Either of these is OK.
I would say:
"My house is quite a long way from my office."
"My house is a very long way from my office."
"My house is a rather long way from my office"
(The placement of the 'a' differs.)
Thank you.

Others might say these things differently due to regional preferences.

 

[Verona_82]

Thanks, Raymott! Yes, I made a mistake while writing; I've corrected it. I've always wondered what makes 'too' and 'enough' so special to be used with 'far' .

 

[Raymott]

Thanks, Raymott! Yes, I made a mistake while writing; I've corrected it. I've always wondered what makes 'too' and 'enough' so special to be used with 'far' .

'Far' is an adjective (sometimes an adverb). As with other adjectives (and adverbs), it's correct to say, "too far; too long; too fat; short enough; serious enough; seriously enough, too quickly ..."
"A long way" in a noun phrase. 'Way' is a noun. 'Long' is an adjective. We don't use "too..." before a noun. Something can't be "too way". It can be "a too long way", but we don't normally say that.
So, I don't see that any of those words is behaving in a special way.

 

[Verona_82]

Well, 'quite' and 'rather' can act as adverbs too, but for some reason 'quite far' is not as common as 'quite a long way' (where 'quite' is, I guess, a predeterminer).