In today\’s mini-lesson at Michael\’s English School 大阪夕陽丘の英会話 we are looking at the difference between \’hard\’ and \’hardly\’. They look similar, but the meaning is actually very different.

‘Hard’ can be both an adjective (形容詞) and an adverb (副詞).  Exceptionally, it does not take the ending  –ly to become an adverb. It just stays as it is.

Example: This exercise is hard.  I work very hard at my English = I do a lot of work.

‘Hardly’ is an adverb and means ‘almost not’. It is a synonym of ‘barely’ or ‘scarcely’.

Let\’s look at the word order:

We put ‘hardly’

• After the verb ‘to be’: There is hardly anyone on the streets = There is almost no one.
• Between the subject and the main verb: I hardly know this man = I almost don’t know him.
• Between the auxiliary verb (助動詞) or modal verb (法助動詞) and the main verb : I can hardly wait for the holidays = it’s very difficult to wait.

In short:

[subject]   [be-動詞]   [hardly]

[subject]   [hardly]   [main verb]

[subject]   [auxiliary/modal]   [hardly]   [main verb]

Test yourself! choose the correct option.

He trains very (hard/hardly) to go to the Olympics.

We (hard/hardly) ever eat out because it’s too expensive.

Winter in Finland is very dark and you (hard/hardly) see the sunlight.

So are you working hard on your English or hardly working?

Join us for more fun lessons at our lovely 大阪夕陽丘英会話！