Basic Details
Word: Closely
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: With careful attention; also near in space, or in a strong or close way, as in closely related.
Synonyms: carefully, attentively, intently, tightly
Antonyms: carelessly, loosely, distantly
How to Spell Closely
Syllables: close - ly
Tricky part: The silent e at the end of close stays when ly is added. Writers who drop it end up with closly.
Watch out for: closly, closley, clossly
Memory tip: Look closely and you will find the whole of close, e and all, sitting in front of ly.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Watch closely as the magician shuffles the cards.
Example 2: The baby elephant walked closely behind its mother.
Example 3: Hindi and Urdu are closely related in everyday speech.
Fun Fact
Close has two pronunciations with different meanings: with a soft s it means near, and with a z sound it means to shut. Closely comes from the near sense.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. closely 2. imediately 3. definatly 4. frequantly
a) at once, without any delay
b) with careful attention, or near in space
c) often, many times
d) without any doubt
Show answer
b) with careful attention, or near in space. Only closely is right; the rest should read immediately, definitely and frequently.
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to closely as used in the sentence:
The nurse watched the patient closely through the night after the operation.
a) keenly
b) carelessly
c) carefully
d) attentively
Show answer
b) carelessly. Watching closely means paying full attention, so the opposite is carelessly.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Our puppy follows my grandmother sloycle wherever she goes in the house.
a) cleanly
b) closet
c) loosely
d) closely
Show answer
d) closely. Spot close among the letters first; the l and y left over finish the word.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The detective studied the muddy footprints closly, then announced that the thief must have escaped through the kitchen window before the guards changed their shift at midnight.
a) detective
b) footprints
c) announced
d) closly
Show answer
d) closly. Start with close, keep its e, and only then add ly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A closely fought match is one in which ____.
a) one team wins very easily
b) nobody comes to watch
c) it rains all day
d) the two sides are nearly equal
Show answer
d) the two sides are nearly equal
2. Two cousins who closely resemble each other ____.
a) dislike each other
b) live far apart
c) look very similar
d) never meet
Show answer
c) look very similar
