-ly
li
-ly is a thin coat you put on an action
The picture A thin coat is put over the same action, so you can see the grain it travels with. -ly dresses an action in how it travels; -ness lifts that same grain off and names it.
Where the picture shows up in -ly
-
a slow coat on speaking
Please speak slowly.
pliːz spiːk ˈsloʊli
Say it slowly for me, please.
Words come out of the mouth one step at a time, resting after each one.
slow + -ly.
-
a careful coat on lifting
Carry the box carefully.
ˈkæri ðə bɑːks ˈkerfəli
Lift the box gently.
Two arms holding a box move slowly, watching the floor, with no wobble at all.
careful + -ly.
-
a quick coat on a queue's step
The line moved quickly after ten.
ðə laɪn muːvd ˈkwɪkli ˈæftər ten
The queue shrank fast after ten.
After ten o'clock, the line at the window shortens in big strides.
quick + -ly.
-
a clear coat on sound
Can you say that more clearly?
kæn juː seɪ ðæt mɔːr ˈklɪrli
Could you say that again, sharper?
The blurred edges of mumbled words come back sharp, one letter at a time.
clear + -ly.
-
a polite coat on a gesture
She answered the phone politely.
ʃiː ˈænsərd ðə foʊn pəˈlaɪtli
She picked up the phone very nicely.
As the handset comes up, the back and the end of the sentence bow together once.
polite + -ly.
All of it in one picture
-ly is one coat worn by an action. Dress speaking in a slow coat and you get slowly; dress a lifting hand in a careful coat and you get carefully. Dress a queue's step in a quick coat and it moves quickly, dress sound in a clear coat and it comes out clearly, dress a phone answer in a polite coat and it is answered politely. So when you see -ly, just watch the grain the action is travelling with.