Grately vs Greatly Quiz: Test Yourself
Five quick questions on grately vs greatly. Pick an answer to get instant feedback.
Flip Cards: Quick Review
Hover over a card, or tap it on mobile, to see the meaning.
To a large degree; very much.
“Her help was greatly appreciated.”
Not a standard word. A misspelling of greatly.
Wrong: “I grately admire her.” Right: “I greatly admire her.”
Adjective: large, excellent or important.
“That was a great idea.”
In a thankful way.
“She gratefully accepted the gift.”
If you have ever wondered about grately vs greatly, the answer is simple: only greatly is correct. The mistake is easy to make because the words great and grate sound the same, and the ending -ly looks like it should attach to either one. Below you will find what greatly means, why “grately” slips into writing, and how to avoid it for good.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greatly | To a large degree; very much | Adverb | Sales have greatly improved this year. |
| Grately | Not a standard word; a misspelling of greatly | Misspelling | Avoid: “We grately appreciate it.” |
| Great | Large, excellent or important | Adjective | It was a great performance. |
| Gratefully | In a way that shows thanks | Adverb | He gratefully shook her hand. |
| Grate | To shred food, or a metal frame for holding fuel or covering an opening | Verb / Noun | Grate the cheese over the pasta. |
What does greatly mean?
Greatly is an adverb that means to a large degree or very much. It adds strength to a verb or an adjective, so it often appears in phrases like greatly appreciated, greatly improved or greatly reduced.
It is formed from the adjective great plus the ending -ly. Example: “Your support has greatly helped our team.”
Is “grately” a word?
No. Grately is not a standard English word, and writers should treat it as a misspelling of greatly. You may spot it in a username or a name, but in ordinary writing it should always be replaced with greatly.
If a spell checker underlines it, trust the checker. The fix is always the same: change “grately” to “greatly.”
Grately vs Greatly: Which Is Correct?
Greatly is correct, every time. There is no sentence in standard English where grately is the right choice.
The test is easy. Swap in “very much” or “a lot.” If the sentence still makes sense, the word you want is greatly. Example: “We very much appreciate it” becomes “We greatly appreciate it.”
Why do people write “grately”?
The most likely reason is sound. Great and grate are homophones, so they are pronounced the same, and it is easy to attach -ly to the wrong spelling. Typing slips and the influence of words like gratitude and gratefully probably add to the confusion.
The fix is to build the adverb from the word you mean. You mean great, so greatly is great plus -ly.
What is the difference between greatly and gratefully?
Greatly means to a large degree, while gratefully means in a thankful way. They sound somewhat alike, which is why people sometimes mix them up or invent “grately” in between.
You greatly appreciate something, and you gratefully accept it. Example: “We greatly appreciate your time” and “She gratefully accepted the offer.”
Is it great or greatly?
Use great, the adjective, to describe a noun, and greatly, the adverb, to describe a verb or an adjective. “A great idea” uses great because idea is a noun. “Greatly improved” uses greatly because improved is a verb form.
A common slip is writing “great appreciated” or “great reduced” when greatly is needed.
How can you remember which one to use?
Start with the word great and add -ly. There is no step where the spelling turns into grate, so grately never appears.
Common mistakes
- ✗ I grately appreciate your help.
✓ I greatly appreciate your help. - ✗ The team was grately impressed.
✓ The team was greatly impressed. - ✗ She greatly accepted the gift with a smile.
✓ She gratefully accepted the gift with a smile. - ✗ He was great relieved to hear the news.
✓ He was greatly relieved to hear the news. - ✗ Their skills improved grately over the year.
✓ Their skills improved greatly over the year.
Memory tricks
- Great plus ly: Spell great first, then add -ly. Greatly never uses the letters of grate.
- Eat, not rat: Great has “eat” inside it, while grate has “rat.” Greatly follows great.
- Very much test: If “very much” fits the sentence, write greatly.
Grately vs Greatly FAQ
Is it grately or greatly?
Greatly is correct. Grately is not a standard English word and is treated as a misspelling.
What does greatly mean?
Greatly is an adverb that means to a large degree or very much, as in greatly appreciated or greatly improved.
Why do people spell greatly as grately?
Most likely because the words grate and great sound the same, and the ending -ly is added to the wrong spelling. Typing slips also play a part.
What is the difference between greatly and gratefully?
Greatly means to a large degree, while gratefully means in a thankful way. You greatly appreciate something, and you gratefully accept it.
Is great or greatly correct before a verb?
Use greatly before a verb or adjective, as in greatly improved. Great is an adjective that describes a noun, as in a great idea.
Conclusion
The grately vs greatly question has a clear answer: greatly is the correct word, and grately is a misspelling. Remember to start with great, add -ly, and use “very much” as a quick check. Share this with someone who mixes these up.