English 24
14th June 2003
A little bit of GRAMMAR

Hi guys
This week we're continuing with our adverb and adjective tips. So as usual, despite the terrible heat, let's get straight to work…
First of all here are a couple of examples are of words, which are both adverbs and adjectives… FAST, HARD & LATE

Adverb
Paolo can run very fast
Joanne is a very hard worker
I went to bed late last night
Adjective
Paolo is a very fast runner
Joanne works very hard
The bus was late

N.B.The adverb lately means recently
E.g. Have you seen Sarah lately?
Have you been to the cinema lately?

However hardly has a completely different meaning from the adjective and adverb hard from above.

Hardly means almost not (appena; a malapena)
Quick reference:
§ Sarah can hardly read: Sarah riesce a malapena a leggere
§ That can hardly be true: non può essere vero
§ I hardly know him: lo conosco appena
§ It's hardly the case: non è proprio il caso
§ I can hardly believe it: stento a crederci
§ I need hardly point out that…: non c'è bisogno che io faccia notare che …
§ This is hardly the time: non è sicuramente il momento ..
§ Hardly anyone: quasi nessuno
§ Hardly anything: quasi niente
§ Hardly ever: quasi mai
§ Hardly!: figuriamoci!; neanche per idea!

Examples

Hardly: almost not
§ Fred hardly spoke to me at the pub last night. (He spoke very little to me)
§ I can't go on holiday with Paola, I hardly know her. (I know her so little that I almost don't know her)

We often use hardly with can/could:
§ Your handwriting is terrible, I can hardly read it. (I can read it but only with a lot of difficulty)
§ My foot was hurting so much I could hardly walk. ( I could only walk with difficulty)

We also use hardly with any/anyone/anything/anywhere:
§ How much change have you got? Hardly any. (Almost none, very little)
§ I'll have to go to the supermarket; we've hardly got any food in the cupboards. (Very little food)
§ Hardly anyone passed the English exam. (Very few people passed)
§ Simone ate hardly anything for lunch because of the heat. (Ate very little)
You can also change the word order:
Simon ate hardly anything
Simon hardly ate anything
We've got hardly any money
We've hardly got any food

Hardly ever = almost never (quasi mai)
I hardly ever go to the theatre these days.
I hardly ever see Diane nowadays.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1
Make sentences with hardly using the words in brackets
e.g. I have met Paul only once. (know him) I hardly know him.

1. I'm sorry could you speak up please, I (can / hear) you.
2. I bumped into my old friend from university last week, He looked so different. I (recognised) him.
3. When Sarah told her parents she'd just gotten married. They were really shocked. They (could/ speak)
4. I am completely exhausted this morning. The baby cried all night and I (slept /at all).

Exercise 2
Complete the sentences with hardly+any/anyone/anywhere/ever
E.g. I'll have to go shopping. We've got hardly anything to eat in the cupboard.
1. Driving to work this morning wasn't stressful at all, because there was ________traffic.
2. It's too hot in here, there's _______ air.
3. There's no point in asking Kerry to come clubbing with us; she _________ goes out anymore.
4. We should have booked our seats on the train, as it was so full there was _________ to sit.
5. The new guy at work hasn't made himself very popular, _____ likes him.
6. I hate Sundays everything's closed, there's _____ to do.

Answers

Exercise 1
1. I can hardly hear you
2. They could hardly speak
3. I hardly recognised him
4. I hardly slept at all

Exercise 2
1. hardly any; 2. hardly any; 3. hardly ever; 4. hardly anywhere; 5. hardly anyone; 6. hardly anything;