Be careful when you are using the adverb quite. You can change the meaning of a sentence by putting the main stress on this adverb.

Imagine someone has just cooked dinner for you and they ask you what you think of the food. This is your reply:

It’s quite nice.

If you stress the word quite in your answer, you are saying that the food is just okay. It is not fantastic. It could, perhaps, be better. Quite here means okay or so-so.

It’s quite nice.

If you stress the adjective instead of the adverb, you are saying that the food is fantastic. If you use quite and place the stress on the adjective, quite means very.

It’s quite nice.

Think about the difference the word stress makes in the following sentences:

 

John is quite intelligent.

She is quite tall.

Yesterday was quite hot, wasn’t it?

We are quite tired.

The exam was quite difficult.