Adverb Choice Explanation

This question requires selecting the best adverb to modify the adjective 'easy' in the sentence: "The route was ________ easy for us to follow." Adverbs often describe or modify adjectives, indicating degree or manner. Let's examine the options:

Analyzing Adverb Options

• hardly: This adverb means 'almost not' or 'with great difficulty'. Using it would mean the route was difficult, which contradicts the sentence's likely intent. Example: "The climb was hardly easy."
• so: While 'so' can mean 'very', it's often used in structures like 'so easy that...' to show a result. While grammatically possible, it might imply an extreme level of easiness not necessarily intended.
• slightly: This adverb means 'to a small degree'. Saying the route was 'slightly easy' is awkward. 'Slightly' usually modifies something that implies difficulty or complexity, minimizing it slightly.
• fairly: This adverb means 'to a moderate extent' or 'quite'. "The route was fairly easy" suggests the route was reasonably or acceptably easy to follow. This fits the context perfectly, indicating a moderate, positive degree of easiness without being overly strong or weak.

Sentence Completion with Adverb

The sentence "The route was ________ easy for us to follow" seeks an adverb that describes the *degree* of easiness. 'Fairly' fits best as it indicates a moderate level of easiness, making the route manageable without being trivially simple or surprisingly difficult.

Therefore, the most appropriate adverb is 'fairly'. The completed sentence reads: "The route was fairly easy for us to follow."