Difference between 'hard' and 'hardly'

[Guest]

Test No. incompl/inter-7 "A Holiday Report", question 6

When we walked in to the school, we saw that the students were working very ..........

(a) hardly
(b) hard
(c) easy

Test No. incompl/inter-7 "A Holiday Report", answer 6

When we walked in to the school, we saw that the students were working very hard.

Correct answer: (b) hard

Your answer was: incorrect
When we walked in to the school, we saw that the students were working very hardly.
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what is the reason for use hard in spite of hardly

[Alan]

Hi,

Hard is an adjective and in this sentence means industrious (doing a lot of work) hardly is an adverb and means almost not at all. Look at these two:

He is a hard worker. (he does a lot of work)
He hardly works and he is very lazy.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story In Order

[janzar]

Hi there,

pls. tell me if in this sentence I should also use "into the school" instead of "in to the school". I thought that "into" is more connected with movement.

Jan

[Yankee]

Hi Jan

Good question. I'd say into would be correct.
Into would indeed be connected with movement (or also a change of state).
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Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Tamara]

Amy, to get into a (for example) medical school = to enter (a medical school)
?
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It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

I'd go for into in that case, too.

You'd also say "enter into an agreement".

Amy
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Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi,

Definitely should be into. I'm sure it was when I wrote it first but little gremlins sometimes appear.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Read the Signs...