Cool MateImmediately vs Quickly now
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Immediately
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adverb
Quickly now
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: ImmediatelyMost common: Immediately
| Immediately | Quickly now | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈmiːdiətli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈkwɪkli naʊ//🇺🇸 //ˈkwɪkli naʊ// |
| Meaning | right away, without waiting | Do something fast, right away. |
| Example | He answered the question immediately after it was asked. | We need to leave the house, so quickly now! |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | respond immediately, act immediately, notify immediately | move quickly now, act quickly now, finish quickly now |
| Antonyms | eventually, later | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'immediate' instead of 'immediately'., Confusing with 'eventually', which means later., Incorrectly placing 'immediately' at the end of a sentence. | Using 'quickly now' in formal emails or presentations., Adding unnecessary words, like 'do it quickly now', which sounds awkward. |
| Usage notes | Use 'immediately' to emphasize urgency or promptness. It's appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very casual contexts. | Use in casual settings to urge someone to act fast. Not suitable for formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Immediately vs Quickly now
What's the difference between Immediately and Quickly now?
Immediately: right away, without waiting Quickly now: Do something fast, right away.
Which is more formal: Immediately and Quickly now?
Immediately is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Immediately and Quickly now?
Immediately is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Immediately: He answered the question immediately after it was asked. Quickly now: We need to leave the house, so quickly now!
Can I use Immediately and Quickly now interchangeably?
Not always. Immediately and Quickly now 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.