Hard vs Hardly (1) Meanings of "Hard"

Adjective or adverb?

"Hard" can have three meanings:

An adjective meaning "solid":
This seat is too hard for me.
Granite is a very hard rock.

An adjective meaning "difficult":
That's a hard question.
Chinese is a hard language to learn for most Europeans.

An adverb meaning "with a lot of effort":
You'll have to study hard if you want to pass the exam.
I ran as hard as I could but I still missed the bus.
On my computer keyboard you have to press the "e" key quite hard to make it work.

All of these can be used in the comparative (harder) or superlative (hardest)

Diamond is harder than glass.
Chinese is harder to learn than Esperanto.
I suppose Peter studied harder than John. He certainly got a better mark in the exam.

Diamond is the hardest material we know.
Chinese is the hardest language I have tried to learn.
Peter studied hardest and he got the best marks.

In this activity decide which of the three categories the sentence fits.

He ran as hard as he could.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
The driving test is very hard these days.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
It's been a hard week for the whole team.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
I pulled hard and the door suddenly opened.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
We have tried hard to increase sales.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
I can understand geometry but algebra is too hard for me.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
Jean's husband is hard to please.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
You will have to study as hard as you can to get a good mark in the exam.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
Don't throw the ball so hard! You might hurt him.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
Wait a minute. I'm thinking as hard as I can!
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
I can't crack this nut. It's too hard.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
It hasn't rained for weeks. The earth in the garden is too hard to dig.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
You didn't put the bread in a bag and now it's all gone hard.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
I'm not going to that hotel again. The beds are too hard.
1. solid
2. difficult
3. with a lot of effort
Some woods are harder than others. Teak, for example, is harder than pine.
1. more solid
2. more difficult
3. with more effort
What is the hardest kind of wood?
I'm not sure. Maybe one of the ironwoods.
1. the most solid
2. the most difficult
3. with the most effort
The driving test is a lot harder now than it used to be.
1. more solid
2. more difficult
3. with more effort
Who has the hardest job in the factory?
I don't know but I'm glad to say it's not mine!
1. the most solid
2. the most difficult
3. with the most effort
It's not always the employees that try hardest who get promoted.
1. the most solid
2. the most difficult
3. with the most effort
If you worked harder you might get a rise.
1. more solid
2. more difficult
3. with more effort

Level 5 Unit 1 - Hard vs Hardly (1) Meanings of "Hard"

Adjective or adverb?