彼の歩調が速くなった。

he; him; his; boyfriend

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

pace; step; cadence

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

fast; quick; hasty; brisk; early (in the day, etc.); premature; (too) soon; not yet; (too) early; easy; simple; quick

to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain; to result in; to prove to be; to consist of; to be composed of; to succeed; to be complete; to change into; to be exchanged for; to play a role; to be promoted; to do ...