Select the most appropriate option to improve the bold part of the sentence.
He worked very hardly to pass the exam.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Hardly vs. Hard: While 'hardly' and 'hard' both look like adverbs, they have very different meanings:
Hardly is a negative adverb meaning 'scarcely' or 'barely.' Using it in the sentence would imply he almost didn't work at all.
Hard is used as an adverb meaning 'with great effort' or 'diligently.' This fits the context of someone trying to pass an exam.
Sincerely: Means with genuine feelings; it doesn't describe the intensity of physical or mental work as well as 'hard.'
Regularly: Refers to the frequency of an action, not the effort put into it.
Harder: This is a comparative form and would only be used if he were working more intensely than before or than someone else.