Cool MateBriefly vs Quickly vs Shortly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Briefly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Quickly
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adverb
Shortly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Quickly
| Briefly | Quickly | Shortly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈbriːfli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈbriːfli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈʃɔːtli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈʃɔːrtli/"]/ |
| Meaning | For a short time or in a few words. | In a fast manner | In a little time; soon. |
| Example | He had spoken to Emma **only briefly**. | She ran quickly to catch the bus. | She arrived shortly after us. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | explain briefly, discuss briefly, mention briefly | move quickly, react quickly, think quickly | arrive shortly, speak shortly, come shortly, finish shortly, depart shortly |
| Antonyms | lengthily, extensively | slowly | later, afterward |
| Common mistakes | Using 'brief' instead of 'briefly' (confusing the adjective and adverb)., Saying 'briefly discuss' when 'discuss briefly' is more natural., Misplacing it in a sentence so that it doesn't clearly modify the verb. | Using 'quick' instead of 'quickly' when modifying a verb., Placing 'quickly' too far from the verb it modifies., Confusing 'quickly' with 'fastly' since 'fast' is the correct adverb. | Confusing 'shortly' with 'briefly' — 'shortly' refers to time, while 'briefly' refers to duration., Using 'shortly' for distant future events — it's used for things happening soon, not days later., Omitting the context; learners may forget to specify 'shortly' before what will happen. |
| Usage notes | Use 'briefly' when you want to indicate that something is short or to the point. It's suitable for formal and informal contexts. Avoid it when you need to describe something in detail. | Use 'quickly' when describing how something is done fast. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but may be overly formal in casual conversations. | Use 'shortly' to indicate that something will happen soon, usually within a few minutes or hours. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but avoid using it in very informal conversations where simpler terms like 'soon' might be preferred. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Briefly vs Quickly vs Shortly
What's the difference between Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly?
Briefly: For a short time or in a few words. Quickly: In a fast manner Shortly: In a little time; soon.
Which is more common: Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly?
Quickly is the most common in everyday English.
Are Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly the same CEFR level?
Briefly: B2, Quickly: A1, Shortly: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly?
Briefly: adverb, Quickly: adverb, Shortly: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Briefly: He had spoken to Emma **only briefly**. Quickly: She ran quickly to catch the bus. Shortly: She arrived shortly after us.
Can I use Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly interchangeably?
Not always. Briefly, Quickly, and Shortly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.