Complete the sentence with the correct option: "My brother goes for a walk daily. He walks very............"

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
The sentence requires an adverb to modify the verb "walks," describing the manner in which the action is performed. The word "fast" serves as both an adjective and an adverb in English, making it the correct choice to describe the speed of walking. Unlike many other adverbs, which are formed by adding '-ly' to an adjective (e.g., slowly, quickly), "fast" is one of the irregular flat adverbs that maintains the same form as its adjective counterpart. Therefore, to correctly complete the structure "He walks very $$adverb$$," "fast" is grammatically sound and fits the context of describing speed, leading to the construction "He walks very fast."

The incorrect option is 2 (quick):
"Quick" is primarily an adjective, meaning swift or rapid, and it modifies nouns (e.g., a quick walk). While it can occasionally be used informally as a flat adverb, the standard and formally correct adverbial form is "quickly." Since an adverb is strictly required to modify the verb "walks" and "quick" is typically an adjective, it is inappropriate in this formal grammatical context.

The incorrect option is 3 (slow):
"Slow" functions as an adjective in this context (e.g., a slow walk). While "slow" can sometimes be used as a flat adverb, the standard and unambiguous adverbial form is "slowly." Furthermore, choosing "slow" would contradict the implied meaning often associated with "walks very..." in a general description, which usually suggests a brisk pace, although grammatically, the primary issue is the adverbial function being better served by "slowly."

The incorrect option is 4 (fastly):
"Fastly" is grammatically incorrect and does not exist in standard English. Although the suffix '-ly' is commonly used to form adverbs, "fast" is an exception, as explained above. The creation of the word "fastly" by adding the '-ly' suffix to the adjective "fast" is a common error made by English learners who over-generalize the rule, but it is not an acceptable form.