13

This is a follow up to this question: What is the difference between "quicker" and "faster"?

"Quicker" is an adverb, as are "more" (in this context) and "quickly".

So is there a difference besides preference between these?

Improve this question
3
  • 4
    Simply: quicker is the comparative form of quick and more quickly is the comparative form of quickly. So the question becomes: what is the difference between the adverbs quick and quickly? I don't believe there is one.
    – Peter Shor
    Jun 27, 2011 at 23:09
  • I say use "faster" and "more fastly". ;) +1 to @Peter Shor, though.
    – Mike Christian
    Jun 28, 2011 at 1:38
  • You can say 'A is quicker than B', but not 'A is more quickly than B'.
    – JMP
    Jun 14 at 7:34

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
10

Quicker is the comparative of quick, which is an adjective; more quickly is the comparative of quickly, which is an adverb.

Informally, quick is also used as adverb, with the meaning of "at a fast rate, quickly." These are the examples reported by the NOAD (third edition).

He'll find some place where he can make money quicker.
Get out, quick!

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    When I read that first sample sentence, it sounds awkward to me. The more natural form, to me, is "He'll find some place where he can make money more quickly." Is this simply preference on my part, or can I claim by-the-rules superiority over people who use "quicker" with more than a farcical and preferential basis? ;)
    – music2myear
    Jun 28, 2011 at 14:12
  • @music2myear Quick is used as adverb only in informal contexts; it is also possible that usage is limited to specific zones.
    – apaderno
    Jun 28, 2011 at 17:58
  • 1
    I am usually not concerned with strict grammar, but I think the informal usage of quick as an adverb and therefore quicker as the comparative form of an adverb should not be used. Sentences can become ambiguous if their meaning is the same.
    – Michael
    Nov 21, 2013 at 21:50
  • Could you please link properly. Your first sentence comes over as unsupported opinion.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Aug 19, 2020 at 18:47
7

I think quicker is sometimes used as an adjective, but as an adverb both are used to the same effect. From Google's Ngram, it seems that quicker used to be more common but that more quickly is slightly commoner now.

enter image description here

Improve this answer
4
  • 5
    This Ngram could be measuring lots of things, including the relative frequency of quicker used as an adjective and adverb. One would never (I hope) say: The hand is more quickly than the eye.
    – Peter Shor
    Jun 27, 2011 at 23:15
  • 1
    @Peter: true, but if more quickly is now more common than quicker in any sense, then more quickly (which can only be used as an adverb) must now be more common than quicker used as an adverb.
    – Henry
    Jun 27, 2011 at 23:45
  • 1
    I wish you'd said commoner there! :)
    – FumbleFingers
    Jun 28, 2011 at 0:00
  • +1 for an interesting graph. That appeals to my historical interests quite well, possibly illustrating, besides simple usage comparison, the preference for different patterns of speech over the last few centuries.
    – music2myear
    Jun 28, 2011 at 14:13
0

As I know that the word 'quick' is as well an adjective and as well an adverb e.g: I am quick in observing(as an adjective) and look quick(as an adverb) so from this sentences we can understand that 'quicker and more quickly' both are correct and are used comparative degree e.g: my cousin writes more quickly/quicker than my friend.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.