Writing & Grammar: Slow/Slowly

by Jennie Ruby  

Consider these two sentences, both containing the adverb slow/slowly:

The river ran slow that summer.

The runner jogged slowly past the window.

Wait, you might be thinking, shouldn't the first one say slowly? The answer is no, it doesn't have to--the word slowcan be used as an adverb without the -ly! So how do you decide? Bryan Garner, in the Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style, tells us, "let rhythm and euphony be your guide."

Of course the word slow is also an adjective, when it is used to modify a noun:

The slow train seemed to take forever to cross the bridge.

Here is this week's challenge. Tell me which way you would go with each of the following examples. Each sentence usesslow/slowly as an adverb, not as an adjective. When should I add -ly, and when should I not? I am trying to come up with concrete ways to explain when to use slow over slowly or vice versa. Can you explain your choices?

1. We drove (slow/slowly) because some children were playing nearby.
2. He walked really (slow/slowly) when he passed the field where his friends were playing.
3. Drag the mouse (slow/slowly) to select just the yellow portion of the image.
4. The space shuttle riding on the back of the airliner appeared to fly very (slow/slowly).
5. The band played (slow/slowly) when the conductor was distracted.
6. The water ran (slow/slowly) because of the water main break.
7. She poured water (slow/slowly) over the cooling noodles.
8. They biked too (slow/slowly) to get to the park before the moon rose.
9. The image (slow/slowly) transitions to gray.
10. The transition (slow/slowly) takes place as you watch.

Additional examples are welcome. Send your responses to me when ready.