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Thursday, 20 July 2006

Hard/hardly

What a great idea to publish a blog of your rail journeys around Scotland, Antonio. It will keep your friends and family at home informed (cheaper and quicker than sending postcards!) and, as you say, you might get suggestions/tips from other travellers and locals.

Just a few very small comments tonight...

You say that it is late to be making bookings now for travel in July/August and that you 'will hardly find a good accommodation'. 'Hardly' means 'almost no(t)/never', 'only with difficulty' and 'only just/not really'. Your sentence is an example of the 'almost no' meaning, and in this case, needs to be followed by 'any', rather than 'a'. The correct sentence is, 'I will hardly find any good accommodation...'. Probably more natural sounding, however, is 'hard', rather than 'hardly'. For example, 'it will be hard to find good accommodation'.

'Accommodation' is an uncountable noun and so doesn't need an indefinite article (a/an) when we are talking about accommodation in general.

'Travel' is also an uncountable noun. 'Equipment' is too. Neither need an indefinite article (a/an) when we are talking about them in general.


I hope Giovanna had a good journey. Enjoy your tour tomorrow!

Rachel

Comments

Teachers often say 'You hardly work'. I think I work hard but I think this means I do 'almost no work'. Please advise!

Hi, I am new to this website. Am I allowed to post things, and if I do, will you tell me if there are any mistakes in my English?

What is the correct structure in the use of hardly: subject + verb + hardly or subject + hardly + verb. Thanks!!!

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