Cool MateAs soon as possible vs Immediately vs Quickly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
As soon as possible
Immediately
Quickly
| As soon as possible | Immediately | Quickly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //æz suːn æz ˈpɒsəbl//🇺🇸 //æz suːn æz ˈpɑːsəbl// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Do something quickly or without delay. | right away, without waiting | In a fast manner |
| Example | Please submit your report as soon as possible so we can review it. | He answered the question immediately after it was asked. | She ran quickly to catch the bus. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 | A1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb | |
| Collocations | send information as soon as possible, complete the task as soon as possible, respond as soon as possible | respond immediately, act immediately, notify immediately | move quickly, react quickly, think quickly |
| Antonyms | - | eventually, later | slowly |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'as' and saying 'soon possible'., Using in overly casual situations., Translating directly into other languages leading to awkward phrasing. | Using 'immediate' instead of 'immediately'., Confusing with 'eventually', which means later., Incorrectly placing 'immediately' at the end of a sentence. | 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. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both spoken and written English to indicate urgency; appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. | Use 'immediately' to emphasize urgency or promptness. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very casual contexts. | Use 'quickly' when describing how something is done fast. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but may be overly formal in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: As soon as possible vs Immediately vs Quickly
What's the difference between As soon as possible, Immediately, and Quickly?
As soon as possible: Do something quickly or without delay. Immediately: right away, without waiting Quickly: In a fast manner
Which is more advanced: As soon as possible, Immediately, and Quickly?
Immediately is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
As soon as possible: Please submit your report as soon as possible so we can review it. Immediately: He answered the question immediately after it was asked. Quickly: She ran quickly to catch the bus.
Can I use As soon as possible, Immediately, and Quickly interchangeably?
Not always. As soon as possible, Immediately, and Quickly 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.