Cool MateBriefly vs Quickly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Briefly
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Quickly
Top 1,000 (very common)A1adverb
Most common: Quickly
| Briefly | Quickly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈbriːfli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈbriːfli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkwɪkli/"]/ |
| Meaning | For a short time or in a few words. | In a fast manner |
| Example | He had spoken to Emma **only briefly**. | She ran quickly to catch the bus. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | A1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | explain briefly, discuss briefly, mention briefly | move quickly, react quickly, think quickly |
| Antonyms | lengthily, extensively | slowly |
| 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. |
| 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. |
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Frequently asked questions: Briefly vs Quickly
What's the difference between Briefly and Quickly?
Briefly: For a short time or in a few words. Quickly: In a fast manner
Which is more common: Briefly and Quickly?
Quickly is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Briefly and Quickly?
Briefly is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Briefly and Quickly the same CEFR level?
Briefly: B2, Quickly: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Briefly and Quickly?
Briefly: adverb, Quickly: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Briefly: He had spoken to Emma **only briefly**. Quickly: She ran quickly to catch the bus.
Can I use Briefly and Quickly interchangeably?
Not always. Briefly 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.