都是程度副词，意为：“非常、相当、很”，无比较级和最高级。其区别在于：
Ⅰ. quite 可直接修饰动词。如：
① Some people don’t like the winter, but I quite like it.
Ⅱ. rather 不可直接修饰动词。语气稍强。可与would 连用构成 would rather…than…这个平行连词结构。如：
① She is rather tall. 她相当高。
② Iwould rather stay at home(than go for a walk) 我宁愿呆在家里。(也不愿到散步)
③ I would rather you stayed at home.
④ I would rather listen to music than to swimming. 我宁愿听音乐，也不愿去游泳。
Ⅲ. very 也不能直接修饰动词。修饰形容词或副词时，语气最强。如：
① I like English very much = I quite like English.
② His English is very good. (程度强=excellent) →His English is quite (rather) good. (程度轻=not bad)
：quite (rather) 和very 与“不定冠词+形容词+名词”连用时位置不同。其排列顺序是：
▲ “quite + a (an) +adj + noun” → “a + quite (rather) +adj +noun” 如：
① This is quite an interesting film.
② It’s a quite (rather) fine day today. (只有名词前有形容词修饰时，冠词a / an 才可置前。
▲ “a + very + adj + noun” 如：
① I watched a very interesting TV play.