Meaning & use
normally
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Meanings
adverb
Under usual circumstances; in the ordinary or expected way.
Grammar: Often used as a sentence opener to contrast with an exception: Normally I walk, but today I drove.
Patterns
- normally + verb
- normally, ... but ...
- as normally as
Normally, I take the bus to work, but today I walked.
The shop is normally open until 9 p.m.
She normally doesn't eat breakfast, but she made an exception today.
adverb
In a normal or healthy way; not strangely or abnormally.
Grammar: Describes how something functions or behaves: The machine is working normally again.
Patterns
- work normally
- function normally
- behave normally
After the repair, the engine ran normally.
He was behaving normally, so no one suspected anything.
The website is loading normally now.
Common combinations
- normally open
- The library is normally open on Saturdays.
- work normally
- The computer started working normally after the update.
- normally distributed
- In statistics, a normally distributed set of data forms a bell curve.
- as normally as possible
- We tried to continue as normally as possible during the move.
Synonyms and how they differ
- usually
- Very close in meaning; 'usually' focuses on frequency, while 'normally' focuses on what is expected or standard.
- typically
- Suggests a typical example or pattern; 'normally' is more about the usual state of things.
- ordinarily
- More formal than 'normally' and often used in writing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: normally or normal?
normally vs normal
Normal is an adjective; normally is an adverb. Say 'It normally works,' not 'It normal works.'
Practice
Choose the correct word: I ______ get up at 7, but tomorrow I need to be up at 5.
Choose one answer.
We need an adverb to describe how often I get up, so 'normally' is correct. 'Normal' is an adjective, 'normality' is a noun, and 'normalize' is a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “normally”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.