Terrible At: Standard Pattern
Terrible At: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.
Use “terrible at” when describing very poor ability or performance in an activity or task.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning | Pattern | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| very poor ability or performance in an activity | terrible at + noun/-ing | Use the documented ability construction. |
| an -ing form names the activity being performed badly | terrible at + -ing | Keep “at” before the activity. |
| “terrible” has another meaning such as very unpleasant or severe | choose the complement required by that sense | Do not apply this ability pattern to every use of “terrible.” |
Quick tests
Ability test
Does “terrible” mean very bad at performing the activity that follows?
If yes: Use “terrible at + activity,” including “at + -ing.”
If no: Use the construction appropriate to the different sense of “terrible.”
Caveat: The reviewed Cambridge Grammar evidence specifically supports the ability pattern; other senses are outside this construction.
Examples
I am terrible at remembering names.
The -ing complement names an activity performed poorly.
He is terrible at mental arithmetic.
The noun phrase names the skill or activity.
They are terrible at keeping the schedule up to date.
“At + -ing” marks the activity in the ability judgment.
Further guidance
Construction
Use “terrible at” when describing very poor ability or performance in an activity or task.
Style Boundary
Cambridge Grammar directly illustrates “terrible at” with an -ing complement in the ability pattern; other senses of “terrible” are outside this construction.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- At — English Grammar Today — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct Cambridge Grammar evidence for adjective + at patterns expressing ability, including terrible at + -ing.