A part of the following sentence is underlined. Choose the option that can replace the underlined part to improve the sentence. If you feel Options A, B, or C do not improve the sentence, then choose Option D: 'No improvement required.'
The students worked hard and were thus able to complete the assignment on time.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Correct Answer
No improvement required
Explanation
The original sentence, “The students worked hard and were thus able to complete the assignment on time,” is grammatically correct and conveys the intended meaning clearly. The phrase “worked hard” correctly uses the adverb “hard” to describe how the students worked.
The other options are incorrect. Option 1 (“worked hardly”) changes the meaning because “hardly” means “almost not.” Option 2 (“worked very harder”) is grammatically incorrect because “harder” cannot be preceded by “very.” Option 3 (“worked hardest”) is the superlative form and requires a comparison with all others, which is not present in the sentence.
Key Points
The adverb “hard” means “with great effort,” whereas “hardly” means “almost not.” Also, use comparative (“harder”) and superlative (“hardest”) forms only when the context requires comparison.