Big, large, great

Use big and large with concrete nouns; use great with abstract nouns. 

Use big with countable abstract nouns; use great with uncountable abstract nouns.

1. Get your …………….. feet off mine.

a) big
b) great
c) Either could be used here

2. He has got rather ………………. hands.

a) large
b) big
c) Either could be used here

3. It was a ……………… idea.

a) great
b) big
c) Either could be used here

4. He owns a ……………… ranch in the countryside.

a) large
b) big
c) great

5. He is one of the ………………. writers of the twenty-first century.

a) greatest
b) largest
c) Either could be used here

6. He showed ………………. improvement in his performance.

a) great
b) large
c) Either could be used here

7. I have ……………….. respect for him.

a) great
b) large
c) big

8. I’m afraid we are making a ……………… mistake.

a) great
b) big
c) Either could be used here

9. If you don’t mend your ways, you will land yourself in ………………. trouble.

a) big
b) great
c) Either could be used here

10. His work shows ……………… improvement.

a) great
b) large
c) Either could be used here

Answers

1. Get your big feet off mine.

2. He has got rather big / large hands.

3. It was a great idea.

4. He owns a big / large ranch in the countryside.

5. He is one of the greatest writers of the twenty-first century.

6. He showed great improvement in his performance.

7. I have great respect for him.

8. I’m afraid we are making a big / great mistake.

9. If you don’t mend your ways, you will land yourself in big/great trouble. (Big is not normally used with uncountable nouns; however, it is possible in expressions like big business and big trouble.)

10. His work shows great improvement.