The Adverb of Strong: Strongly
The adverb of strong is strongly.
How strongly is formed
Add -ly with no change: strong + ly = strongly.
The default rule, as in warm → warmly and sharp → sharply.
Strongly in a sentence
| I strongly recommend the second option. | Firm advice. The commonest pattern. |
| The committee strongly opposed the proposal. | Emphatic disagreement. |
| The report is strongly worded. | Before a past participle. |
Where it is actually used
Knowing the form is one thing; knowing the company a word keeps is what makes it sound natural. These are the patterns strongly appears in most often.
| strongly recommend / advise / urge | Giving weight to advice. Extremely common in formal writing. |
| strongly oppose / disagree / object | The mirror image, for disagreement. |
| strongly worded / suggest / believe | Force of expression or conviction. |
Strongly or something else?
Several adverbs sit close to strongly, and the difference is usually meaning rather than formality.
| firmly | About holding a position without moving. Firmly believe suggests steadiness; strongly believe suggests intensity. |
| vigorously | About energy expended, and common with denied and defended. |
| emphatically | About the manner of saying it, not the depth of the feeling. |
The mistake to watch for
| Incorrect | Correct |
| He feels strong about the issue. | He feels strongly about the issue. |
Unlike high or deep, strong has no adverb use in modern standard English. Blows strong survives only in poetry and set phrases.
Related forms
Pronunciation: STRONG-lee, two syllables.
| Adjective | strong |
| Adverb | strongly |
| Noun | strength |
| Verb | strengthen |
Practice
Fill the gap, then check yourself.
- I ___ advise against signing today.
- She ___ denied any involvement.
- He ___ believes the deadline is realistic.
Answers: 1. strongly 2. vigorously / strongly 3. firmly / strongly
Frequently asked
Is strongly agree correct?
Yes, and it is standard on survey scales. Strongly agree and strongly disagree are the conventional endpoints.
