Modification of Comparatives and superlatives
The modification of comparatives and superlatives of adverbs does not differ from the modification of adjectives in the superlative and comparative degree.
The Difference in meaning
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Some words ending in – ly are adjectives, and not normally adverbs.
Common ex: costly, cowardly, deadly, friendly, likely, lively, lonely, lovely, silly, ugly.
e.g. She gave me a friendly smile.(adjective)
He spoke to me in a friendly way. (adverbial phrase)
Her singing was lovely.(Or: She sang beautifully.)
Other words that end in –lycan be both adjectives and adverbs. Examples are daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, early. A daily paperis published daily; we get up early to catch an early train.
b)Adjectives and adverbs with the same form; adverbs with two forms
Sometimes, an adjective and an adverb have the same form. For example, a fast car goes fast. In other cases, the adverbs has two forms (for example, late andlately), one like the adjective and the other with –ly. There is usually a difference of meaning or use between the two forms. The most important adverbs in this group are as follows:
Barely
Barely is almost negative in meaning:
I can barelyunderstand it.
Bloody
Bloody, and several other swearwords (‘bad words’) can be used both as adjectives and as adverbs.
‘You bloodyfool. You didn’t look where you were going.’ – ‘I bloodydid..’
Cheap
Cheap is often used instead of cheaply, especially in casual conversation and with the verbs buy and sell.
Do you like this shirt? I boughtit really cheap.
Clean
The adverb clean means ‘completely’. It is used (in an informal style)with the verb forget, the prepositions over and through, and the adverbs away and out.
Sorry I didn’t turn up – I clean forgot.
The ball sailed clean over the roof.
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The prisoner got clean away.
I’m afraid I’m clean outof (= have no more) food.
The adverb cleanly means ‘precisely, without making a mess, not clumsily’. It is often used with the verb cut.
The surgeon cut cleanlythrough the abdominal wall.
Clear
Clearly has a similar meaning to the adjective clear, in the sense of ‘without confusion’, ‘distinctly’.
I can’t see clearlywithout my glasses.
It can also mean ‘obviously’:
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We clearly need to think again.
The adverb clear is used with of to mean ‘not touching’; clear across means ‘right across’.
Stand clear of the gates!
He threw her clear acrossthe room.
Clear means ‘clearly’ in the expression loud and clear.
Close
The adverb close usually means ‘near’. Before a past participle, closely is used.
Come close;I want to tell you something.
She’s closely relatedto the Duke of Halifax.
The adverb closely often means ‘carefully, with great attention’.
Study this closely:it’s very important
Dead
The adverb dead is used in certain expressions to mean ‘exactly’ or ‘completely’. Examples are: dead right, dead sure, dead certain, dead tired, dead slow, dead ahead, dead drunk, dead straight.
Note that deadly is an adjective, meaning ‘fatal, causing death’. (For example: a deadly poison.) The adverb for this meaning is fatally.
She was fatally injured in the crash.
Dear
Dear is often used instead of dearly, especially in casual conversation and with the verbs buy and sell.
Deep
The adverb deep means “far down or in.”
We had to dig deepto find water.
deeplymeans “profoundly, intensely”
She felt her mother’s deathdeeply.
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Direct
Direct is often used instead of directly in talking about journeys and timetables.
The plane goes directfrom London to Houston without stopping.
Easy
Easy is used as an adverb instead of easily in certain expressions. Examples: take it easy (= ‘relax’); go easy (= ‘not too fast’); easier said than done; easy come, easy go.
Fair
Fairly is the normal adverb corresponding to the adjective fair, in the sense of ‘justly, honestly, according to the rules’.
I think I was quite fairlytreated by the police.
Fair is used as an adverb in the expressions play fair, fight fair, (to hit something) fair and square.
Fairly is also used, with a quite different meaning, as an adverb of degree, like quite and rather (e.g. fairly good).
Fast
Fast is used to mean both quick and quickly. (A fast car goes fast.) Fast means ‘completely’ in the expression fast asleep, and it means ‘tight’, ‘impossible to remove’ in expressions like hold fast, stick fast, fast colours.
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Fine
Fine is used as an adverb, meaning ‘well’, in some conversational expressions, for example That suits me fine; You’re doing fine. Finely is not very common: a finely tuned engine is one that is very carefully adjusted to run as efficiently as possible; if things are finely cut or finely chopped they are cut into very small pieces.
Free
The adverb free (used after a verb) means ‘without payment’; freely means ‘without limit or restriction’. Compare:
You can eat freein my restaurant whenever you like.
You can speak freelyin font of George – he knows everything.
Hard
The adverb hard has a similar meaning to the adjective.
Hit it hard. I’m working too hardthis year.
Hardly means ‘almost not’.
I’ve hardlygot any clean clothes left.
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The adverb high refers to height; highly expresses an extreme degree (it often means ‘very much’). Compare:
He can jump really high. Throw it as highas you can.
It’s highlyamusing. I can highlyrecommend it.
She’s very highlypaid.
Just
Just is a common adverb: it can be used for ‘focusing’, or to mean ‘a moment ago’. Justly means ’in accordance with justice or the law’.
He was justlypunished for his crimes.
Late
The adverb late has a similar meaning to the adjective; lately means ‘recently’. Compare:
I hate arriving late.
I haven’t been to the theatre much lately.
Loud
Loud is often used after a verb (especially in informal conversation) instead of loudly. This is common with the verbs talk, speak, shout, laugh, and in the expression loud and clear.
Don’t talk so loud –you’ll wake the whole street.
Low
Low is the normal adverb (bow low, aim low, speak low). Lowly is an unusual adjective meaning ‘humble’.
Most
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Most is the superlative of much, and is used to form superlative adjectives and adverbs. In a rather formal style, most can be used to mean ‘very’.
Which part of the concert did you like most?
This is the mostextraordinary day of my life.
You’re a mostunusual person.
Mostly means ‘mainly’, ‘most often’ or ‘in most cases’.
My friends are mostlyteachers
Nearly
Nearly denotes ‘almost’:
I have nearlyreached the top of the mountain.
Pretty
The adverb pretty is similar to rather. Prettily means ‘in a pretty way’. Compare:
Isn’t the little girl dressed prettily?
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Quick
In formal conversational English, quick is often used instead of quickly, especially after verbs of movement.
I’ll get back as quickas I can.
Real
In informal conversational English (especially American English), real is often used instead of really before adjectives and adverbs.
That was realnice. You cook realwell.
Right
Right is used as an adverb before prepositional phrases, to mean ‘just’, ‘exactly’ or ‘all the way’.
She turned up rightafter breakfast.
The snowball hit me righton the nose.
Keep righton to the traffic-lights.
Right and rightly can both be used to mean ‘correctly’. Right is more common in informal conversation, and is only used after the verb. Compare:
I rightlyassumed that Henry wasn’t coming.
You guessed right(ly). It serves you right.
In the sense of ‘to the right-hand side’, only right is possible.
Turn rightat the traffic-lights.
Scarcely
Scarcely is almost negative in meaning:
Tom has scarcelyany food.
Sharp
Sharp can be used as an adverb to mean ‘punctually’, in expressions like at six o’clock sharp; we start at twelve-twenty sharp. It also has a musical sense (to sing sharp means ‘to sing on a note that is too high’), and it is used in the expressions turn sharp left and turn sharp right (a sharp turn is one that nearly takes you back where you came from). In other senses we use sharply (for example, look sharply, speak sharply).
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Short
Short is used as an adverb in the expressions stop short (= ‘stop suddenly’), cut short (= ‘interrupt’). Shortly means ‘soon’; it can also describe an impatient way of speaking.
Slow
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Sound
Sound is used as an adverb in the expression sound asleep. In other cases, soundly is used (e.g. She’s sleeping soundly).
Straight
The adverb and the adjective are the same. A straight road goes straight from one place to another.
Tight
After a verb, tight can be used instead of tightly, especially in informal conversational English. Typical expressions: hold tight, packed tight (compare tightly packed).
Warm
Warmly is usually used in an abstract sense:
He greeted us warmly.
However, warmly may be used in a literal sense:
Please dress Paul warmlyas it is cold outside.
Well
Well is an adverb corresponding to good (a goodsinger sings well). Well is also an adjective meaning ‘in good health’ (the opposite of ill). In this sense, well is only used after the verb: we can say I’m well but not *a well person.
Wide
The normal adverb is wide; widely means ‘in many different places’. Compare:
He opened the door wide. He has travelled widely.
Wrong
Wrong is like right: it can be used instead of wrongly after the verb, especially in informal conversation. Compare:
I wronglybelieved that you wanted to help me.
You guessed wrong(ly).
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