You know, the world of English is a fun and exciting place to be,
I'm so glad you could join me for another lesson.
Today we will look at a word that appears simple, but in fact has many uses.
It is a word that describes how something feels,
both physically and emotionally.
It can also be used in a wide number of idioms and expressions
and also expresses the level of ease something is to carry out.
In this lesson we will look at the word
‘hard’.
Having come into use during the early days of English
and being derived from Germanic;
the word hard can be used in the form of both an adjective and adverb.
As an adjective the word ‘hard’ can mean a solid thing.
The thing in question might have a solid surface or be made of a dense material.
We will often describe this as ‘hard’.
A solid thing is hard. It cannot be bent.
It is not flexible.
A slab of granite is hard.
Something solid, firm, rigid,
or a thing that is not easy to pierce can be described also as being hard.
A hard surface is difficult to break.
A hard object is difficult to crack.
An inflexible thing that can’t be bent is hard.
A tough person who shows no fear,
or generally exhibits strength in their character
can be described as hard.
In stocks and shares, a commodity that remains steady
or firm in its value can be described as hard.
To do something with a great deal of force,
or in a aggressive way is hard; for example -
A hard smack,
a hard kick,
a hard slap.
An activity that requires a great deal of effort
can be described as being hard.
We describe something as being ‘hard work’.
Climbing a mountain in the rain is hard work.
We can also say ‘hard going’, when describing a difficult thing.
The thing being done is exhausting and requires a lot of effort.
It is hard.
Something which is difficult to bear or withstand can also be described as hard.
Enduring hard times or hardship refers to a difficult period in a person’s life.
A season of extremely damaging weather can be described as hard.
There might be a hard winter of exceptionally low temperatures to endure.
A hard summer might be extremely dry or unseasonable wet,
thus creating problems for farmers.
It is a hard season.
A difficult question or something that is not easy to answer
or solve can be described as hard,
such as a hard exam question
or a hard jigsaw puzzle.
You cannot answer the question because it is too hard.
Information that is true and accurate is ‘hard’.
You might have some hard evidence to show, as proof of something.
Facts that cannot be disproved are the hard facts.
They are irrefutable.
A type of alcohol that is above average strength,
such as spirit, can be described as hard,
for example - hard liquor.
A type of drug that can become addictive over time is also hard.
We often describe illegal substances as ‘hard drugs’.
An extreme thing or something explicit can be described as hard, or ‘hard core’.
In phonetics, the hard sound made with the back of the tongue
when pronouncing words such as cat or gas,
is described as hard,
such as the hard C in cat
or the hard G in gas.
As an adverb, the word hard defines effort being made to do something.
You might work hard all day.
You can play hard at a certain type of sport.
To occur forcefully or with force; for example -
the rain falls hard, with force.
The rain is falling hard.
To set or become solid is hard.
The cement has set hard. It has become hard.
To do something to the fullest extent, such as a hard right turn whilst driving.
You turn the steering wheel all the way whilst navigating a corner or sharp bend.
There are many phrases in English that use ‘hard’.
To be ‘hard done by’ means to be treated harshly or unfairly.
To be ‘hard up’ means to have little or no money.
You might ‘give someone a hard time’,
which means to make a situation harder for someone.
One person gives another a hard time.
To be ‘hard hit’ means to be badly affected by something.
You might be hit hard by the failing economy.
To ‘play hard to get’ means to seem distant and appear uninterested in someone.
A cruel or unfair person might be described as being hard on someone.
They are being harsh.
If you are ‘hard at it’, then you are busy doing something.
You are immersed in what you are doing, you are hard at it.
To be ‘hard-nosed’ means to be ruthless to those around you.
A hard-nosed business man will do anything to be successful.
Finally we can say ‘hard cheese’ to someone who has just experienced some bad luck
or a misfortune of some sort.
I hope today’s lesson was not hard to understand.
I think it has really given you something to think long and hard about.
This is Mr Duncan in the birthplace of English saying...
thanks for watching and see you again soon.
You know what's coming next...
of course you do...
ta ta for now.