A grammar software marks the word “direct” for correction and suggests “directly” when I grammar check the sentence, “The vessel will be sailing direct to Kuwait from India.”

Isn’t “direct” an adverb?

Thank you.

 

"Direct" as in "straight" is normally an adjective but it's increasingly being used as an adverb. It sounds a little casual to me and I agree "directly" is a better choice.

 

If it means from Kuwait to India without stopping, is 'direct' wrong?
If it means 'immediately/without delay/at once' then 'directly' would fit.

 

Thank you, Barque.

 

If it means from Kuwait to India without stopping, is 'direct' wrong? Yes, this is what I meant. A non-stop voyage.

 

From our dictionary (Random House Learners' Dictionary)

It's commonly used as an adverb, and it seems the natural choice for the sentence in post #1.

 

I'm glad to hear that! It's what I would say without thinking twice.

 

Thanks.

 

I suspect I'd use it that way too, but "directly" still seems "more" correct to me.

 

I agree with Hermione and veli. "Directly" would actually sound wrong to me in that sentence for the meaning non-stop.

 

In that sentence, "directly" would sound odd/wrong to me, too.

 

Thank you

 

Thank you

 

Maybe 'direct' is reserved for transport.

"When I heard my mother had been taken to hospital, I went there directly from work".
Here there could be two meanings, 'at once / immediately' and without stopping.

"Didn't you stop off anywhere en route?"
"I just said, I went directly."

 

I understand that "direct" is often used as an adverb now but I'm surprised at the comments that "directly" is wrong. I see the adverb "direct" as a shortened form of the adverb "directly". Other similar adjectives also used as adverbs are "smooth" and "slow".

goes direct vs goes directly

One of its definitions (in its role as an adverb) in the WR dictionary is "directly".
direct: adv. in a direct manner; directly; straight: We flew direct to Moscow.

The same page also has this note headed Related Words: DIRECT is an adjective and a verb, DIRECTLY is an adverb, DIRECTION is a noun: He is a direct person and always tells you what he's thinking. She directs movies. He answered the questions directly. In which direction is the wind blowing?

"Direct" and "directly" don't have to mean "non-stop". They mean "in a direct manner" or "in a straight line". A ship sailing from Kuwait to India just has to go south-east down the Persian Gulf and continue south-east to go directly to India; it doesn't matter if it stops for some time in mid-sea.

This thread talks of direct flights: opposite of a non-stop flight

 

Unrealized impact of (brainwashing) Americanism/informal English maybe.

 

Here's a previous thread about Dickens' use of direct as an adverb: going direct to Heaven

 

Well, I'll go directly to the foot of the stairs!