Here is a list of adverbs ending in -ly that have a different meaning from the meanings of their related adjectives:
barely
hardly
lately
presently
scarcely
shortly
6.22 Some -ly adverbs are not related to adjectives, for example accordingly. Some are related to nouns, for example bodily, purposely, daily and weekly. For lists of these, see the Reference Section.
6.23 Adverbs ending in -ly are very rarely formed from some types of adjective:
The hills rise greenly to the deep-blue sky.
He lay still, staring blackly up at the ceiling.
big
fat
old
small
tall
tiny
wet
young
same form as adjective: a fast car, drive fast
6.24 In some cases, an adverb has the same form as an adjective and is similar in meaning. For example, fast is an adverb in the sentence News travels fast and an adjective in the sentence She likes fast cars.
…a fast rail link from London to the Channel Tunnel.
The driver was driving too fast for the conditions.
In these cases, the adverb is usually placed immediately after the verb or object, and rarely in front of the verb.
alike
downtown
extra
far
fast
inside
long
next
outside
overseas
past
straight
through
Some words ending in -ly are both adverbs and adjectives, for example daily, monthly, and yearly. These relate to frequency and are explained in paragraph 4.120.
6.25 Several postdeterminers, including further, next, only, opposite, and same, have the same form as adverbs but no direct relation in meaning. Note that well is an adverb and adjective, but usually means not ill as an adjective, and with skill or success as an adverb.
He has done well.
two forms: dear/dearly, hard/hardly, etc.
6.26 Sometimes, two adverbs are related to the same adjective. One adverb has the same form as the adjective, and the other is formed by adding -ly.
He closed his eyes tight.
He closed his eyes tightly.
Failure may yet cost his country dear.
Holes in the road are a menace which costs this country dearly in lost man hours every year.
The German manufacturer was urging me to cut out the middle man and deal with him direct.
The trend in recent years has been to deal directly with the supplier.
Here is a list of common adverbs that have both these forms:
clear
clearly
close
closely
dear
dearly
deep
deeply
direct
directly
easy
easily
fine
finely
first
firstly
hard
hardly
high
highly
last
lastly
late
lately
thick
thickly
thin
thinly
tight
tightly
Note that the -ly adverb often has a different meaning from the adverb with the same form as the adjective,
The river was running high and swiftly.
I thought highly of the idea.
He has worked hard.
Border could hardly make himself heard above the din.
When the snake strikes, its mouth opens wide.
Closing dates for applications vary widely.
Note that, with some words that are adverbs and adjectives, the addition of -ly forms a new adverb and a new adjective, for example dead and deadly, low and lowly.
no adverb from adjective
6.27 Some adjectives do not form adverbs at all. These include the common qualitative adjectives listed in paragraph 6.23, such as big and old.
Here is a list of some more adjectives that do not form adverbs:
afraid
alive
alone
asleep
awake
content
difficult
drunk
foreign
good
hurt
ill
little
long
sorry
standard
Note that the adverbs relating to content and drunk are formed by adding -ly to the forms contented and drunken, thus giving contentedly and drunkenly.
6.28 If there is no adverb related to an adjective, and you want to give additional information about an event or situation, you can often use a prepositional phrase.
In some cases, the prepositional phrase involves a noun that is related to the adjective. For example, there is no adverb related to the adjective difficult, but you can use the related noun difficulty in the prepositional phrase with difficulty instead.
He stood up slowly and with difficulty.
In other cases, for example with adjectives that end in -ly, a general noun such as way, manner, or fashion is used.
He walks in a funny way.
He greeted us in his usual friendly fashion.
Prepositional phrases may be used even if an adverb does exist, for example when you want to add more detailed information or to add emphasis.