​Adverbs with -ly change their meanings

Adjectives/

adverbs

Examples

Adverbs with ly-changing meanings

Examples

deep = a long way down

Deep in my heart I know it is over.

dig deep/ lie deep

deeply = greatly

I was deeply hurt./regret deeply

direct = by the shortest rout

We are flying direct.

directly = immediately

I will tell you directly.

clean = completely

It broke clean in two. He was knocked clean off his feet | I clean forgot her birthday

cleanly = without difficulty, smoothly, efficiently

I tackled him cleanly. He vaulted cleanly through the open window.

easy = gently and slowly

Easy with that chair—one of its legs is loose.

easily = without difficulty

He climbed the mountain easily.

free = without cost

ladies were admitted free

freely = willingly/readily/openly/without restriction

You may speak freely.

full = exactly/very

The only way is to travel full west. Full in his face the lightning-bolt was driven.

fully = completely

I fully understand the fears of the workers.

flat = in or to a horizontal position

He fell flat on his face. He was lying flat on his back

flatly = little interest or emotion, absolutely, in a smooth and even way

‘You'd better go’ she said flatly.

He flatly refused to go off.

I applied the paint flatly.

hard = intently/with effort

It was raining hard.

hardly = scarcely

It hardly matters now.

high = at a high level

The dancer leapt high.

highly = very much

He is highly thought of.

last = after all others

I came in last.

lastly = finally, in the last place

Lastly, I would like to thank my parents.

late = not early

He arrived late.

lately = recently

I have not seen him lately.

near = close

Who comes near him in wit? The new year draws near.

nearly = almost

She was nearly asleep.

pretty = fairly

I feel pretty sick about it.

prettily = in a pretty way

Eat prettily, behave prettily.

right = correctly, exactly, in a required way

Try and do it right this time.

rightly = justly

It is easy as you rightly say.

sharp = precisely

Be there at 12 sharp.

sharply = harshly, roughly

I was sharply reprimanded.

short = suddenly, unexpectedly

The car stopped short.She stopped short on the threshold with surprise.Bad news caught him short.

shortly = soon, in a few words, sharply

Shortly after, shortly before,

’Do you like cricket?’ ‘I do not,’ she said shortly. The letter shortly outlines the proposals.

sure = certainly

sure enough/ I sure am sorry about it./It sure is hot, he thought.

surely = without a doubt

He will surely win.

As surely as the leaf fades, so surely shall we fade.

tight = very firmly, closely, or tensely

Hold me tight.The door was shut tight. I sleep tight. He went downstairs, holding tight to the bannisters.

tightly = in a tight manner

Hold on tightly.

Mums hugged her tightly, too emotional to speak.

wide = off-target, to the full extent

wide open eyes,/ The door was wide open.The news spread far and wide.

widely = to a large extent, extensively

Widely different, credit cards are widely accepted.

wrong = incorrectly

You are doing it all wrong.

wrongly = unjustly

He was wrongly convicted.