Practice about frequency words
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This document discusses adverbs of frequency and how they are used to indicate how often an activity occurs. It provides a list of common adverbs of frequency from most frequent to least frequent. It explains that adverbs of frequency are usually placed between the subject and verb of a sentence, except after forms of "to be" where they follow the verb. It also discusses using adverbs of frequency with auxiliary verbs and in questions/negative sentences. Specific examples are provided to illustrate the different rules.
Practice about frequency words
- 1. Use adverbs of frequency to say how often you do something. Adverbs of frequency are often used with the present simple because they indicate repeated or routine activities. For example, They often go out for dinner. Adverbs of frequency include (form most often to least often): always usually often sometimes occasionally seldom rarely never If the sentence has one verb (e.g. no auxiliary verb) put the adverb in the middle of the sentence after the subject and before the verb. Examples Tom usually goes to work by car. Janet never flies. She always goes by bus. Adverbs of frequency come after the verb 'be': Examples I am never late for work. Peter is often at school. If the sentence has more than one verb (e.g. auxiliary verb), put the adverb of frequency before the main verb. Examples I can never remember anything! They have often visited Rome. When using adverbs of frequency in the question or negative form, put the adverb of frequency before the main verb. Examples She doesn't often visit Europe. Do you usually get up early? We use some adverbs to describe how frequently we do an activity. These are called adverbs of frequency and include: Frequency Adverb of Frequency Example Sentence 100% always I always go to bed before 11pm. 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. * Some people pronounce the 'T' in often but many others do not. The Position of the Adverb in a Sentence An adverb of frequency goes before a main verb (except with To Be). Subject + adverb + main verb I always remember to do my homework. He normally gets good marks in exams. An adverb of frequency goes after the verb To Be. Subject + to be + adverb They are never pleased to see me. She isn't usually bad tempered. When we use an auxiliary verb (have, will, must, might, could, would, can, etc.), the adverb is placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. This is also true for to be. Subject + auxiliary + adverb + main verb
- 2. She can sometimes beat me in a race. I would hardly ever be unkind to someone. They might never see each other again. They could occasionally be heard laughing. We can also use the following adverbs at the start of a sentence: Usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally Occasionally, I like to eat Thai food. BUT we cannot use the following at the beginning of a sentence: Always, seldom, rarely, hardly, ever, never. We use hardly ever and never with positive, not negative verbs: She hardly ever comes to my parties. They never say 'thank you'. We use ever in questions and negative statements: Have you ever been to New Zealand? I haven't ever been to Switzerland. (The same as 'I have never been Switzerland'). We can also use the following expressions when we want to be more specific about the frequency: - every day - once a month - twice a year - four times a day - every other week Adverbs of Frequency With the present simple, we often use adverbs of frequency to say 'how often' we do something. Here's a list of common adverbs: always frequently generally hardly ever infrequently never normally occasionally often rarely regularly seldom sometimes usually We usually put these adverbs in the middle of the sentence, between the subject and the verb: I often go to the cinema. She sometimes visits me at home. We usually drink coffee. We can also put them at the very beginning or end of the sentence. This makes them stronger: Often I go to the cinema. I go to the cinema often. But never: I go often to the cinema. Here are some other expressions we can use to say 'how often'. All of these longer phrases go at the beginning or the end of the sentence but not in the middle. once in a while: I go to the cinema once in a while. every now and again: She drinks wine every now and again. from time to time: From time to time I visit my mother. To say how often something happens, you can use a number or 'several' or 'many', followed by 'times'.( If the number is one, use 'once' instead of 'one time'. If the number is two use 'twice,' instead of 'two times') Then add 'a' and a period of time: I go to the cinema twice a week. She takes these tablets three times a day. I change the sheets once a fortnight (fortnight = two weeks). I meet him several times a year. I visit my parents once a month. We can also use 'every' + period of time: every morning every day every Tuesday every week every month A day of the week with 's' at the end (for example 'on Tuesdays') means the same as 'every Tuesday': I take a dance class on Wednesdays. I relax on Saturdays. Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something is done.
- 3. Adverbs of frequency include; always, constantly, continually, frequently, infrequently, intermittently, normally, occasionally, often, periodically, rarely, regularly, seldom, sometimes etc. For example: I always do my homework on time. - In this sentence always shows us the frequency (how often) I do my homework on time. She goes out occasionally. - In this sentence occasionally shows us the frequency (how often) she goes out. Most frequent always constantly nearly always almost always usually generally normally regularly often frequently sometimes periodically occasionally now and then once in a while rarely seldom infrequently hardly ever scarcely ever almost never Least frequent never Adverbs of frequency appear between the subject and the verb in a sentence:- For example: I always update the calendar at the beginning of the month. Poetria often takes notes during the Skype sessions. Adverbs of frequency appear after a form of the to be - am, are, is (was, were) in a sentence:- For example: I am never late. IVisit was occasionally frustrating. They were always noisy. Adverbs of frequency go between an auxiliary verb and the main verb:- For example: Anne doesn't usually smoke. If there are two auxiliary verbs, the adverb of frequency goes between them:- For example: I have never been to Asia. The adverbs of frequency often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the beginning of a sentence:- For example: Usually I don't give personal advice. = I don't usually give personal advice. Occasionally we go for a drive on a Sunday. = We occasionally go for a drive on a Sunday. Adverbs of frequency go before the verbs used to or have to:- For example: I always used to celebrate bonfire night. I usually have to get up early to walk Laika. When something happens regularly at a fixed time we can use the following as adverbs:- Every day = Daily Every week = Weekly Ever fortnight (two weeks) = Fortnightly Every month = Monthly Every year = Yearly/Annually For example: I get a newspaper every day. = I get the newspaper daily. I pay my rent every month. = I pay my rent monthly. Some examples of indefinite adverbs of frequency, and a general idea of how often the action takes place: 100% always, constantly, continuously, habitually 90% usually, normally, mostly, regularly 75% frequently, generally, repeatedly 60% often 50% sometimes
- 4. 40% occasionally, sporadically 20% rarely, seldom, infrequently 0% never Adverbs of indefinite frequency usually go in the middle of the sentence before the main verb, except the verb “to be“. We always walk to school. She usually drinks coffee in the morning. They generally study at the library. I am often on time. She sometimes plays chess. He occasionally skips school. They are seldom wrong. . If there is an auxiliary verb and a main verb, the adverb goes between them: I can usually remember. He doesn’t often cry. They have occasionally eaten at that restaurant. Except with “have to”, the adverb goes before the auxiliary: We usually have to wake up early. He always has to drive his kids to school. . Sometimes, for emphasis, we can put the adverb at the beginning of the sentence. (see what I did there?) Usually we eat dinner at 6:00 Occasionally I walk around the seawall. Or at the end: We do that too, usually. They go to church regularly. . “Sometimes” can go at the beginning, middle, or end: ✔ Sometimes they eat healthy. ✔ They sometimes eat healthy. ✔ They eat healthy sometimes. . “Always” can NOT go at the beginning or the end of the sentence, only in the middle: ✔ She always works hard. ✘ Always she works hard. ✘ She works hard always. . For questions and negative statements, the adverb goes before the main verb, except the verb “to be”. Why do they always complain? Who is she constantly talking to on the phone? They aren’t usually nice. I don’t often eat fast food. I‘m not normally this irritable. Negative adverbs like “never”, “seldom”, and “rarely” do not go at the end of the sentences. They can go at the beginning of the sentence to add a strong emphasis, but then the rest of the sentence must take a question form, even though it is a statement. Never have I seen such a beautiful woman!! Seldom does he work so late. Rarely do I get straight A’s. . Negative adverbs, such as seldom, rarely, and never aren’t usually used in the negative or questionform. ✘ I don’t seldom get to school on time. ✔ I seldom get to school on time. ✔ I don’t usually get to school on time. ✘ Do you rarely eat sushi? ✔ Do you often eat sushi? . Occasionally, we use adverbs of frequency with the Present Progressive to complain about something: He is always smoking. They are constantly playing loud music. She is forever talking on the phone.