Learn English – Is “She dreams big.” correct

grammaticality

Big is an adjective, which can not modify the verb dream. Can we use big here?

She dreams big.

Best Answer

English idioms often use adjectives to describe modes, or ways of doing things, as if they were adverbs. Think of them as a shorthand way of indicating an adverbial phrase, such as this: "She dreams in a big way." Or you can think of it as a shorthand way of describing the object of the verb, thus: "She dreams about big things."

By doing this, we add a dynamic quality to the statement. We convey much more force and immediacy. When we say, "She dreams big," we give the impression that she is a person who has forceful thoughts, ambition, and serious intentions to do important things. The style of a sentence in English is quite important. "She dreams big" is very different from "she dreams about big subjects every night." The fact is, "she dreams big" does not even normally refer to dreams that occur during sleep! It generally refers to one's life plans! This is why the exact structure of a sentence in English must be just so to say exactly what you mean.