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What are adverbs of frequency?
We use adverbs of frequency to say how often we do something. Adverbs of frequency are often used with the present simple because they indicate repeated or routine activities.
Adverbs of frequency :
| Always |  | | | | | | | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usually | | |||||||||
| Usually | | | | | ||||||
| Often | | | | | ||||||
| Sometimes | | | | |||||||
| Seldom/rarely | | |||||||||
| Seldom/rarely | ||||||||||
| Never |
- They often go out for dinner.
- I never go to cinema. I don’t like it.
- I don’t mind going to the theater. I sometimes go with my husband.
- Never say never. (proverb)
- She likes dancing. She always goes to the night club to dance.
- They usually quarrel. I rarely see them in good terms with each other.
Other adverbs of frequency include:
- occasionally
- frequently
Position of adverbs of frequency
- Generally speaking adverbs of frequency come before the main verb except the main verb “to be”:
- I sometimes visit my uncle.
- We have often seen him pass by the house.
- They are seldom at work.
- Occasionally, sometimes, often, frequently and usually can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence:
- Sometimes they visit him.
- I miss him occasionally.
- Rarely and seldom can also go at the end of a sentence (often with “very”):
- We see them rarely.
- John eats meat very seldom.
Adverbs of frequency include (form most often to least often):
| 1 | always |
|---|---|
| 2 | usually |
| 3 | often |
| 4 | sometimes/occasionally |
| 5 | seldom/rarely |
| 6 | never |
