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Is this correct: "I want to start slow, then gradually increase the time I exercise." Or should it say "slowly"?

Laurel
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lsavely
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1 Answers1

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Slow can be an adverb, and it's called a flat adverb. There are plenty of questions on flat adverbs on this site. I will just add a usage not from the BritannicaDictionary:

Usually slow is used as an adjective and slowly is used as an adverb, but slow can also be used as an adverb. When an adverb does not have the usual -ly ending it is called a flat adverb or plain adverb and it looks the same as its adjective form.

  • The cars on the road are all moving slow/slowly.
  • The computer was running so slow/slowly that he didn't finish his homework on time.

Notice that in the above sentences, the adverb comes after the verb. Slow and slowly are usually interchangeable when they come after the verb. However, when the adverb comes before the verb, it only sounds natural to use slowly.

  • We slowly realized what was happening.
fev
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