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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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highly hard

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "highly hard" can be used in certain contexts to describe something that is extremely difficult or challenging.
It is not a commonly used phrase, but it is grammatically correct and can be used in written English. Example: Climbing Mount Everest is a highly hard task that requires months of training and specialized equipment.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In this paper, a novel method for fabricating highly hard, flexible and superhydrophobic DLC films with bio-mimicking micro textures using natural lotus leaf as templates is reported.

Combination of excellent physical and mechanical properties of highly hard, superhydrophobic as well as flexible DLC films with bio-mimicking textures will be beneficial for their potential applications as engineering material.

This is not terribly surprising for the cell types/numbers in an animal that follows a very rigorous cell lineage for generating neurons; connectivity is obviously another story but it is accepted that most invertebrates have a highly hard wired nervous system that varies very little with activity or the environment, or even with genetic variations.

Science

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

From the outside, at least, VanderZanden — who later settled with Lyft for undisclosed terms — seemed a man after the heart of Uber's original and highly hard-charging CEO, Travis Kalanick, whose tenure at the company ended in June of last year over its many cultural missteps.

News & Media

TechCrunch

"Patience is highly energetic, extremely hard-working, and very talented," Nail told MSNBC.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Considering the gross salinity, total hardness, pH, and other irrigation parameters, majority of the groundwater samples shows a fresh to highly saline, hard to very hard, slightly alkaline, and excellent to permissible nature, respectively.

"Ms. Gochuico is a highly educated, hard working and honest professional," Mr. Romano said, "whose conduct has been grossly mischaracterized in this complaint.

News & Media

The New York Times

It took the largely useless virtual credits that the central planners issued to Soviet factories and converted them into highly valuable hard currency.

News & Media

The New Yorker

However, because poly 3HB) is highly crystalline, hard and brittle, its practical applications are limited.

Commercially available microcrystalline cellulose is derived from highly costly hard wood and also purified cotton.

These properties were also compared to a commercial brand Avicel® PH 101 (Fluka, New South Wales, Australia) that was obtained from highly costly hard wood.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically correct, consider using more common alternatives like "extremely difficult" or "particularly challenging" for better clarity and broader acceptance.

Common error

Avoid combining multiple uncommon intensifiers like "highly" and "hard". Opt for more direct and widely accepted phrases to maintain clarity and avoid sounding unnatural.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

3.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "highly hard" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its difficulty or intensity. While grammatically sound, it is less common than alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while grammatically correct, the phrase "highly hard" is a relatively uncommon way to express extreme difficulty or intensity. Ludwig identifies its grammatical correctness, but the phrase appears infrequently in corpora, suggesting that writers might favor more common alternatives such as "extremely difficult" or "particularly challenging". Its usage spans across scientific and news contexts, but it lacks a strong presence in formal business settings. For clearer communication, especially in formal or professional contexts, opting for more conventional phrasing is advisable.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "highly hard"?

You can use alternatives like "extremely difficult", "particularly challenging", or "incredibly tough" depending on the context.

Is "highly hard" grammatically correct?

Yes, "highly hard" is grammatically correct, but it's not a commonly used phrase. More conventional alternatives might be preferable for clarity.

In what contexts might I use "highly hard"?

While versatile, "highly hard" could be used to describe demanding tasks or durable materials, but keep in mind that more common synonyms might be more readily understood.

Is there a difference between "highly hard" and "very hard"?

While both phrases indicate difficulty, "very hard" is far more common and universally understood. "Highly hard" might sound slightly unusual or forced in comparison.

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Source & Trust

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: