ENGLISH PILL 232/365: ADVERBS and ADJECTIVES used ADVERBIALLY

close = near (We live very close to the hospital.)
closely = intimately (She’s closely related to the archbishop.)

direct = without stopping or making a detour (We’re going direct to Paris.)
directly = immediately / frankly (He’ll do the shopping directly. / The producer spoke honestly and directly to the cast about the play’s future.)

easy = in a relaxed way (Take it easy!)
easily = with no difficulty (You can easily go in for that competition.)

fair = according to the rules (Play fair!)
fairly = justly / honestly / correctly (He was fairly judged and punished. )
fairly = quite / not very (It was fairly good weather, but not as good as last week.)

fine = well (She’s feeling fine now.)
finely = in tiny pieces / in meticulous detail (Chop the onions finely. / The lines of the pen-and-ink sketch were finely drawn.)

flat = completely / lower than the correct musical note (They turned me down flat. / She always sings flat.)
flatly = completely / in a dull, lifeless way (He flatly refused to help me. / ‘What’s the point?’ she asked flatly.)

free = without paying / at liberty (He was allowed in free. / They let the dog roam free.)
freely = willingly, as much as desired (They partook freely of their hosts’ generous hospitality.)

hard = with great energy (His father has always worked hard.)
hardly = scarcely, only just (You’ll hardly have time to get to the bank.)

high = at a height (She jumped high over the bar.)
highly = to a high degree (The professor’s work is highly respected at Oxford.)

late = not early (They arrived at the meeting very late.)
lately = recently (The neighbours have been making a lot of noise lately.)

near = close to (Does your boss live anywhere near us?)
nearly = almost (They nearly had an accident this morning.)

pretty = quite, fairly (They’re pretty good at carpentry.)
prettily = nicely, charmingly (The little girls were prettily dressed for the party.)

sharp = punctually, on the dot (They turned up at ten sharp.)
sharply = brusquely, crossly (‘Don’t do that!’ she said sharply.)

short = suddenly (She cut him short.) (=She interrupted him.)
shortly = soon (News of the takeover will be released to the press shortly.)

tight = in a close, firm way (Sit tight.)
tightly = firmly and securely (The mast was tightly lashed to the deck.)

wide = fully open / completely (Open your mouth wide! / The children were wide awake.)
widely = in many places, all over the world (Those theories are widely accepted.)