Quiet and quite contain the same letters, and the order changes the word. Quiet, with the e before the t, describes a place or a person with little noise. Quite, with the t at the end, is an adverb that changes the strength of the next word.
The pronunciation is clearly different. Quiet has two syllables: KWHY-ut. Quite has one syllable: kwyt. Your ear can tell the difference before your eye does.
This page gives the meaning of each word, the test that separates them, eight examples and 15 questions. Every answer explains whether the sentence describes noise or adds strength.
What each word means
quiet
quiet (adjective and noun): making little noise, calm, or freedom from noise. Two syllables in careful speech: KWHY-ut. "A quiet street." "Peace and quiet."
quite
quite (adverb): fairly or very, depending on the word that follows; also completely with absolute words. One syllable: kwyt. "Quite good." "Quite impossible."
The rule
Quiet describes low noise
- As an adjective: a quiet room, a quiet voice, be quiet, keep quiet.
- As a noun: peace and quiet, the quiet of the evening.
- The comparative is quieter and the superlative is quietest: "This street is quieter than mine."
- Quiet describes a state, so it works after be, seem, stay and keep.
Quite changes the strength
- With gradable adjectives, quite means fairly or rather: "quite good" is good, but not excellent.
- With absolute or extreme adjectives, quite means completely: "quite impossible", "quite perfect", "quite exhausted".
- In American English, quite often means very: "quite good" can sound stronger there.
- Quite a + noun means impressive or unusual: "quite a good film", "quite a surprise".
The test
- Does the word describe a place, a person or a sound? Use quiet.
- Does the word come before an adjective or adverb and change its strength? Use quite.
- Count the syllables: quiet has two beats, and quite has one.
- Check the spelling: quiet keeps the e before the t, and quite ends in te.
Sentences with both words
- "The street is quite quiet" is correct and means the street is fairly silent.
- "Be quite quiet" is a strange but grammatical request: be fairly silent.
- Keep quiet means do not speak. Quite right means completely correct.
- Do not confuse quite with quit, which means to stop, or with quilt, which is a bed cover.
How to remember
The trick: Quiet has the e before the t and two syllables, and it means no noise. Quite is one syllable and means fairly or completely.
Examples
- Please be quiet in the library.Quiet describes the level of noise, so it is correct.
- The village is very quiet at night.Quiet describes the village and its noise.
- The film was quite good.Quite makes good stronger but not extreme: fairly good.
- I have quite a lot of work.Quite a lot is a fixed expression for a large amount.
- She is quite right about that.Quite right means completely right.
- We enjoyed the peace and quiet.Quiet is the noun in the phrase peace and quiet.
- The exam was quite difficult.Quite softens the adjective: fairly difficult.
- He is quieter than his brother.Quieter is the comparative of quiet.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Please be quite. Right: Please be quiet.
- The request is about noise, so the adjective quiet is needed.
- Wrong: The film was quiet good. Right: The film was quite good.
- The adverb quite changes the strength of good.
- Wrong: It is quiet cold today. Right: It is quite cold today.
- The sentence tells us the degree of cold, so quite is correct.
- Wrong: She is very quite. Right: She is very quiet.
- Very describes the person's level of noise, so the adjective quiet is correct.
- Wrong: He is quite than his brother. Right: He is quieter than his brother.
- Quiet is the adjective, and its comparative form quieter is needed before than.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
Please be ___ in the library.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. quiet The request is about noise, so the adjective quiet is needed.
The film was ___ good.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. quite The adverb quite changes the strength of good to fairly good.
The village is very ___ at night.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. quiet Very describes the low level of noise, so quiet is correct.
The exam was ___ difficult.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. quite Quite softens difficult to a moderate degree.
We enjoyed the peace and ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. quiet Peace and quiet is a fixed noun phrase with quiet.
She is ___ right about that.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. quite Quite right means completely right, so the adverb is correct.
He is ___ than his brother.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. quieter The comparative form of quiet is quieter, used before than.
I have ___ a lot of work.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. quite Quite a lot is a fixed expression for a large amount.
It is ___ cold today.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. quite Quite tells us the degree of cold, so the adverb is correct.
The children are ___ when they read.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. quiet The sentence describes low noise, so the adjective quiet is correct.
The book is ___ interesting.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. quite Quite makes interesting stronger: fairly interesting.
Keep ___ while the baby sleeps.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. quiet Keep quiet is a fixed phrase meaning make no noise.
That is ___ impossible.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. quite With the absolute adjective impossible, quite means completely.
They live on a ___ street.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. quiet The adjective describing a street with little noise is quiet.
I am not ___ ready yet.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. quite Quite before an adjective means not completely ready.
Questions learners ask
Does quite mean very?
It depends on the adjective and the variety of English. With gradable adjectives such as good, quite usually means fairly. With absolute adjectives such as impossible or exhausted, it means completely. American English often reads quite as very.
How do I hear the difference?
Quiet has two syllables: KWHY-ut, with a small vowel sound in the middle. Quite has one syllable: kwyt, and the t closes the word sharply. Say both aloud and feel your mouth make two movements for quiet and one for quite.
Is quit related to quiet?
No, they are different words. Quit means to stop or leave: "He quit his job." Quiet means little noise. Quit is spelled with one t and sounds like kwit, not kwyt.
More confusing words
Then vs than
Then tells you when or what is next. Than compares one thing with another after a comparative word.
Affect vs effect
Affect is the action and effect is the result. If the or an fits in front of the word, effect is the one you need.
Borrow vs lend
Borrow means you receive and give back. Lend means you give and get back. The preposition from and the person after the verb tell you which one to use.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.