fromEnglish Grammar Today
Hardis both anadjective and an adverb. When it is an adverb, it means ‘needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort’. It goes after the main verb:
I studiedhardfor my exams but didn’t do very well.
We have workedhardall day.
The comparative and superlative forms areharderandhardest:
He didn’t get into the team this year. He’ll just have to tryhardernext time.
Not:He’ll just have to try more hard next time.
Right, children, who has workedhardesttoday?
Warning:
Don’t confusehardwithhardly.Hardlyusually means ‘only just’ or ‘almost not’:
Every day I ran a lot and workedhardso that I would be prepared for the game.
Not:Every day I ran a lot and worked hardly.
See also:
Hardly