Adverbs with two forms and differences in meaning

close – nearby

closely – thoroughly

dear – expensively

dearly – very much

deep – a long way down

deeply – greatly

direct – by the shortest route

directly – immediately

easy – gently and slowly

easily – without difficulty

free – without cost

freely – willingly

full – exactly, very

fully – completely

hard- intently, with effort

hardly – scarcely

high – at/to a high level

highly – very much

last – after all others

lastly – finally

late – not early

lately – recently

near – close

nearly – almost

pretty – fairly

prettily – in a pretty way

short – suddenly

shortly – soon

sure – certainly

surely – without a doubt

wide – off-target

widely – to a large extent

wrong – incorrectly

wrongly – unjustly

After a linking verb (a) of Being and Seeming: be, feel, look, seem, smell, sound, taste; (b) of Becoming: appear, become, fall, get, go, grow, run, turn; (c) of Remaining: keep, remain, stay we use an adjective not an adverb: These roses smell nice.

Exercise 155. Choose between an adjective and an adverb:

1. The problem can be solved quite (simple, simply). 2. Olga certainly has done (good, well) in her studies this term. 3. We were (angry, angrily) at what he had done. 4. It isn’t (bad, badly). 5. He dreamed of acting (brave, bravely) in emergency. 6. This is quite (clear, clearly). 7. She looked at the boy (cold, coldly). 8. This is a (comfortable, comfortably) chair. 9. The child is (dangerous, dangerously) calm. 10. Let’s look at the problem from (different, differently) angles. 11. This definition is not quite (exact, exactly). 12. He seems to be not very (happy, happily) about it. 13. The girl was (heavy, heavily) painted. 14. He sighed (helpless, helplessly). 15. The work was done (perfect, perfectly). 16. Walk (quiet, quietly), or you will wake the baby. 17. Your botany is (sad, sadly) at fault. 18. You answered (satisfactory, satisfactorily). 19. Are you (serious, seriously) about doing this? 20. The task was quite (simple, simply).

Exercise 156. Choose between an adjective and an adverb:

1. It is not (good, well) for you to do this. 2. Do you (serious, seriously) wish to enter the University? 3. She rushed (angry, angrily) out of the room. 4. Tom behaved very (bad, badly) at table. 5. He is a (brave, bravely) boy. 6. We can see (clear, clearly) what he means. 7. The weather is (cold, coldly) today. 8. Every person likes to live (comfortable, comfortably). 9. This place is (dangerous, dangerously). 10. My husband and I always reacted (different, differently). 11. Can you tell me (exact, exactly) when it all happened? 12. She looked at them (sad, sadly). 13. The child smiled (happy, happily). 14. The suitcase is too (heavy, heavily). 15. He is quite (helpless, helplessly) with the child. 16. The weather was (perfect, perfectly) yesterday. 17. Her voice is too (quiet, quietly). 18. It is (sad, sadly) that you were out of town yesterday. 19. The answer was not (satisfactory, satisfactorily). 20. He worked (hard, hardly). 21. When he is naughty I always look at him (sharp, sharply). 22. The weather was (warm, warmly) and they greeted us (warm, warmly). 23. (Hard, Hardly) had I opened the door, when the phone rang.

Exercise 157. Choose an adjective or an adverb; put it in its proper place:

1. It is difficult to speak to her. (pretty, prettily) 2. They sell these coats. (dear, dearly) 3. We made sure it was safe before we went. (near, nearly) 4. I saw a plane in the sky. (high, highly) 5. We have heard very little of him. (late, lately) 6. You must work at your spelling. (hard, hardly) 7. We were late. (near, nearly) 8. The hall is decorated. (pretty, prettily) 9. I love my son. (dear, dearly) 10. The idea seems improbable. (high, highly) 11. He usually comes home after classes. (late, lately) 12. I can understand what he is saying. (hard, hardly) 13. Do you want to go there? (real, really) 14. He attends classes. (regular, regularly) 15. I am satisfied. (complete, completely)

Exercise 158. Underline the correct item.

1. I managed to get to New York easy/easily by flying there directly/direct. 2. She has been deeply/deep upset by his behaviour late/lately. 3. Lately/Late the cost of living has been increasing; things generally are not nearly/near as cheap as they used to be. 4. It is wide/widely believed that she was wrong/wrongly accused. 5. Laura is a very shy person who rare/rarely goes out and she does not mix free/freely with the other students. 6. She is highly/high regarded in the school as people can get on with her easily/easy. 7. I was not full/fully satisfied with the doctor as he had wrong/wrongly diagnosed my previous illness. 8. “Do you intend to leave shortly/short?” “I think so. I’ve nearly/near finished.” 9. He’ll surely/sure get a good grade; he’s been studying very hardly/hard for the past year. 10. I was prettily/pretty embarrassed when I realized that I had hardly/hard enough money to pay the bill. 11. He came last/lastly in the race and was pretty/prettily disappointed by his performance. 12. The train goes direct/directly to Edinburgh without stopping so it will probably be full/fully. 13. She free/freely admitted that she’d not worked very hard/hardly. 14. It is wide/widely known that they are people who can’t be full/fully trusted. 15. Sure/Surely we must be near/nearly there by now.

Exercise 159. Complete the sentences using the words in bold.

1. Samantha is prettier than Julia.

as Julia ...is not as pretty as... Samantha.

2. He’s the most amusing person I’ve ever met.

than He is … I’ve ever met.

3. John can be a very good cook when he is in the right mood.

well John … when he is in the right mood.

4. As I get older, I become happier.

the The … I become.

5. Why didn’t you find a cheaper restaurant?

cheapest Is this … you could find?

6. Laura has been a professional dancer for five years.

Professionally Laura … for five years.

7. Caroline is the meanest woman I’ve ever met.

never I’ve … woman as Caroline.

8. We have got the same number of brothers.

many I have got … you.

9. Charlotte and Elizabeth look very much alike.

similar Charlotte … Elizabeth.

10. Doctor Doyle is caring to all her patients.

way Doctor Doyle … to all her patients.

11. We’ve never had such a wonderful holiday.

most This is … we’ve ever had.

12. He plays snooker very well.

good He … snooker player.

13. Tracy eats more cheese than I do.

less I … Tracy does.

14. He likes reading more than watching TV.

rather He … watch TV.

15. Jane is more artistic than I am.

less I … Jane.

Exercise 160. Find the word which should not be in the sentence.

1. The lions are noble animals. 2. The author’s latest novel wasn’t any more better than his previous one. 3. Your version of the incident is as very confusing as Peter’s. 4. This soup tastes like as porridge. 5. They hardly not understood where all their money had gone. 6. I’d sooner than go now. 7. I always feel more safer when I’m wearing a seat-belt. 8. His offer was many more generous than we had expected. 9. Your behaviour is getting the worse and worse. 10. She prefers wholemeal bread than to white bread. 11. Their car cost three times as much more as ours. 12. He is known as like “the living legend” of his time. 13. I’d rather buy a second-hand car than to spend so much on a new one. 14. It was the most best offer I’d ever have had. 15. Her sofa is much similar to the one in my living room.