Adjectives and adverbs 2: well/fast/late, hard/hardly

This lesson explains how certain words can be adjectives or adverbs and highlights pairs that cause confusion: well/good, fast (same form), late (adj/adverb), and hard vs hardly. You'll learn when to use each form and how the meaning changes.

• Some words keep the same form for adjective and adverb (fast, late, hard).
• well is the adverb of good (the adjective).
• hard means 'with effort'; hardly means 'almost not' or 'barely'.
• Pay attention to meaning — word form alone is not enough.

Remember: whether a word looks like an adjective or adverb isn't enough — check the meaning and the grammar.

• Use well (adverb) after verbs to describe how something is done: She performed well.
• Use good (adjective) before nouns: a good presentation.
• Use fast and late for both adjective and adverb roles without -ly: a fast response / reply fast.
• Use hard (adverb) to mean 'with effort'; use hardly to mean 'almost not'.

Meaning determines the correct choice: 'worked hard' ≠ 'worked hardly'.

Learners often mix these words or use incorrect forms. Watch for these traps:

• Saying 'She did good' instead of 'She did well' when describing performance.
• Using 'fastly' — incorrect. Use 'fast' for the adverb.
• Confusing 'late' and 'lately' — 'late' = after the expected time; 'lately' = recently.
• Mixing 'hard' and 'hardly' — 'hard' = with effort; 'hardly' = almost not.

When in doubt, check meaning first: is it manner/degree (use adverb) or a description (use adjective)?