"Be safe" but "drive safely." Safely is an adverb modifying the verb drive. Safe is an adjective that can modify a noun. It is an old bugaboo of the grammar police that in any pairing of an adjective with its -ly-suffixed adverb -- safe, safely; slow, slowly -- the (nominal) adjective must never be used as an adverb.
Anonymous
"Be safe" but "drive safely." Safely is an adverb modifying the verb drive. Safe is an adjective that can modify a noun. It is an old bugaboo of the grammar police that in any pairing of an adjective with its -ly-suffixed adverb -- safe, safely; slow, slowly -- the (nominal) adjective must never be used as an adverb.