Fill in the blank with a suitable adverb from the given alternatives:
The traffic jam was _________ cleared by the traffic police.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Quickly
An adverb is a word that tells how, when, where or how much something happens. It can also describe an adjective or another adverb, for example she sings sweetly, very hot.
Complete sentence: The traffic jam was quickly cleared by the traffic police. The blank describes how the jam was cleared, so it needs an adverb of manner placed before the past participle "cleared".
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Quick | Quick is an adjective. It describes a noun (a quick reply), not a verb. | She gave a quick answer. |
| (2) Fastly | "Fastly" is not an English word. The adverb of "fast" is "fast" itself. | – |
| (3) Quickly (answer) | Quickly means at a fast speed, in a short time. | The fire was quickly brought under control. |
| (4) Fast | Fast can be an adverb, but it comes after the verb ("cleared fast"). "Was fast cleared" is not used. | He runs very fast. |