[Grammar] how do i know ?

[esroa]

At first peace be upon you
Then thanks ever such a lot
How can i know when i say the adverb from "hard"
when i say "hard " and when i say "hardly":?:
I need to know ;please

 

[Barb_D]

Hi esroa, and welcome to Using English.

Hardly is an adverb, but in the form of English I use, it's not the adverb form for hard.

Hard is both the adjective and the adverb form.

You need a hard surface to work on.
I hit it hard. -- I would never say "I hit it hardly."

Hardly, as I use it, is used to show how the small amount of something or how minimal it is.

There is hardly any milk left. I hardly touched it.

 

[TheParser]

At first peace be upon you
Then thanks ever such a lot
How can i know when i say the adverb from "hard"
when i say "hard " and when i say "hardly":?:
I need to know ;please

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Esroa.

(1) Yes, these two adverbs are very confusing.

(2) I think it would be very helpful if you studied these two words in your dictionaries (including online dictionaries).

(3) Basically, "hard" means "with great effort or force":

(a) Good students study hard.

(b) It is raining very hard.

(4) Basically, "hardly" means "almost not":

(a) There is so much noise that I can hardly hear him.

(b) It is hardly bigger than a credit card.

(5) I believe that "hard" usually comes AFTER a verb.

***** Thank you *****