Mrs. hale (abruptly moving toward her). mrs. peters? which best describes the effect of the word “abruptly” in the excerpt? the use of the word abruptly heightens the conflict by revealing to the reader that mrs. hale is becoming increasingly anxious. the use of the word abruptly characterizes mrs. hale as someone who is aggressive and assertive by nature. the use of the word abruptly quickens the plot by making it appear as though the characters in the play are rushed. the use of the word abruptly adds to the mysterious mood in the scene as the reader is left to wonder why mrs. hale is upset.