English Reference

00 / Grammar and structure

free vs freely

Free describes something that costs nothing or is not restricted, while freely describes an action done without hesitation or physical constraint.

01 / Side by side

  • free

    Costing nothing or not restricted.

    The museum offers free admission to all students on the first Monday of every month.

  • freely

    Moving or acting without hindrance.

    The children ran freely through the park until the sun started to go down.

02 / Watch out

  • Wrong: The software is available freely for anyone who wants to download it.Right: The software is available free for anyone who wants to download it.

  • Wrong: She admitted free that she had made a mistake in the calculations.Right: She admitted freely that she had made a mistake in the calculations.

03 / Remember

Free is the price; freely is the flow.

04 / Quick check

Fill the gap with one of the two options.

  1. 1.

    Many streaming services offer a trial to new users who want to watch the latest series.

  2. 2.

    You are to leave the meeting once you have finished your presentation.

  3. 3.

    Players in the open world game can move across the map without hitting any invisible walls.

  4. 4.

    He spoke about his experiences in the army during the long interview.

  5. 5.

    During the video call, the team shared their ideas to improve the new fitness app design.

05 / More like this