Adverbs of frequency
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
They say how often. Their position is fixed: before the main verb, but after the verb to be.
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The position rule
Three cases, and they cover everything:
- before the main verb: She often forgets.
- after the verb to be: She is often late.
- between the auxiliary and the main verb: She has often been late. I will never forget.
The ones that can move
Sometimes, usually, normally, often and occasionally can also start or end the sentence:
Sometimes I walk to work. / I walk to work sometimes.
Always and never cannot. Never I go and I go always are both wrong.
never is already negative
Do not add a second negative:
I never eat meat. ✓ I don’t never eat meat. ✗
Same with rarely, seldom and hardly ever.
How often exactly
For precise frequency, use a phrase rather than an adverb, and put it at the end:
twice a week, every morning, three times a month, once in a while
I go to the gym three times a week.
Asking
How often do you…? takes the do pattern, because these are ordinary verbs:
How often do you travel? — Twice a year.
All forms
| How often | Adverb |
|---|---|
| 100% | always |
| about 90% | usually, normally |
| about 70% | often, frequently |
| about 50% | sometimes |
| about 30% | occasionally |
| about 10% | rarely, seldom, hardly ever |
| 0% | never |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- The rooms are always ready by noon; that has been true for twenty years.
- The cat never sleeps on the windowsill, not even during the strike.
- My cousin often washes the car by hand; it happens most weeks of the year.
- The ferry sometimes runs after dark, perhaps once or twice a month.
- Our team usually trains in the rain, about four days out of five.
- The kettle rarely boils over, maybe twice a year at most.
- The office is hardly ever warm enough, perhaps twice since we moved here.
- The gardener seldom burns the dry leaves, once every few years at best.
- The cleaner frequently polishes the brass handles; it happens most weeks of the year.
- He occasionally answers his email before noon, just a few times each summer.
- My father always locks the garden gate at night; that has been true for twenty years.
- The cleaner never polishes the brass handles, not even during the strike.
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: I go never to the theater. correct: I never go to the theater.
Frequency adverbs go before the main verb.
Wrong: She is often not late. correct: She is often late.
After be, the adverb follows the verb — and never is already negative.
Wrong: I don't never eat meat. correct: I never eat meat.
English does not use two negatives.