English Lessons: Adverbs of Frequency

English Lessons: Adverbs of Frequency

English Lessons: Adverbs of Frequency

• [message]
• ##check## English Lessons: Adverbs of Frequency
• We use some adverbs to describe how frequently we do an action. These are called adverbs of frequency and include

Frequency             Adverb of Frequency                           Example Sentence

100%                             always                           I always go to bed before 12 p.m.
90%                                    usually                           I usually have cereal for breakfast.
80%                   normally / generally                    I normally go to the gym.
70%                           often* / frequently                  I often surf the internet.
50%                                 sometimes                          I sometimes forget my wife's birthday.
30%                                occasionally                          I occasionally eat junk food.
10%                                     seldom                          I seldom read the newspaper.
5%                           hardly ever / rarely                  I hardly ever drink alcohol.
0%                                      never                                  I never swim in the sea.

• [message]
• ##check## English Lessons: The Position of the Adverb in a Sentence
• An adverb of frequency goes before a main verb (not including To Be).

Subject + adverb + main verb

• I usually get up late on Saturdays.

An adverb of frequency goes next the verb To Be.

• She is never pleased to see me

When we use an auxiliary verb (have, will, must, might, could, would, can, etc.), the adverb is put between the auxiliary and the main verb. This is also correct for to be.

Subject + auxiliary + adverb + main verb

• They can sometimes beat me in a race.

We can also use the following adverbs at the beginning of a clause:
Usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally

• Occasionally, I like to eat Morocco food.

BUT we cannot use the following at the start of a sentence:
Always, seldom, rarely, hardly, ever, never.

We use never and hardly ever with positive, not negative verbs:

• She hardly ever comes to my parties.
• She never say 'thank you'.

We use ever in questions and negative statements:

• Have you ever been to Australia?
• I haven't ever been to Australia. (The same as 'I have never been Australia').

• [message]
• ##check## English Lessons: Adverbs of Definite Frequency:
• We can also use the following expressions when we want to be more defined about the frequency:

• every day
• once a month
• twice a year
• four times a day
• every other week
• daily
• monthly