Difference between hard and hardly

[narges hemmati]

Test No. incompl/elem-20 "Where am I?", question 8

I don't think that's going to be ..........

(a) hard
(b) hazard
(c) hardship
(d) hardly

Test No. incompl/elem-20 "Where am I?", answer 8

I don't think that's going to be hard.

Correct answer: (a) hard
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why we use hardly??

[Alan]

Hard is an adjective and can either mean difficult or solid as in a hard exercise or a hard rock. Hardly is an adverb and means almost not at all/scarcely as in He is only a baby so naturally he can hardly speak.
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story The Name of the Game

[Michael]

with hardly the word order changes

The roadmen work hard.

Well, actually they are sweating and we see them giving their best

The roadmen hardly work.

They don't take great pains. Maybe they're chattering, and relaxing