some search/research 's results:
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This is one word that has become almost completely acceptable in its incorrect form. Most people use it to mean "it is hoped that," as in the following sentence:
Example 1: Hopefully, the rain will stop in time for the outdoor concert.
Because I tend to be a purist in my view of English grammar, I have difficulty accepting this usage as correct, though it is used in this context even among professionals. The true definition of hopefully is "in a hopeful manner," as the following example demonstrates:
Example 2: We hopefully waited for the winner of the competition to be announced.
Note that in the second example given above, hopefully is used to describe the manner in which the action is performed. In the first example, the rain is not doing anything in a hopeful manner; therefore, hopefully should not be used. When you find yourself using hopefully to mean "it is hoped that," try substituting it with "I hope" or "we hope," because, in essence, that is the actual meaning you are attempting to convey.
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Technically, this word is an adverb meaning "in a hopeful way." As an adverb, it needs to be attached to a friendly verb (or an adjective or another adverb) and it needs to make sense, in other words, it needs a subject capable of doing the hoping.
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