Frequency adverbs in English are words that indicate how often an action is performed or occur. These adverbs are generally placed before the main verb, except for the verb «to be,» (and the rest of the auxiliary verbs) in which case they are placed after the verb.
- Subject + to tobe + frequency adverb :
– She is usually on time for work (After the verb ‘to be’)
- Subject + frequency adverb + main verb (except for «to be» and other auxiliary verbs) :
– I always drink coffee in the morning. (before the main verb)
By incorporating them into your conversations and writing, you can provide more precise information about how often something occurs.
- Here’s a list of these adverbs together with their meanings and approximate frequencies:
– Always (100%): This indicates that the action happens every time without exception.
Example: She always brushes her teeth before going to bed.
– Usually (around 80-90%): This indicates that the action happens most of the time but not always.
Example: He usually takes the bus to work.
– Often (around 60-70%): This indicates that the action happens frequently or regularly.
Example: They often go out for dinner at the weekends.
– Sometimes (around 40-50%): This indicates that the action happens occasionally or at irregular intervals.
Example: I sometimes watch movies at home.
– Rarely (around 20-30%): This indicates that the action happens infrequently or seldom.
Example: She rarely drinks alcohol.
– Hardly ever (around 10%): This indicates that the action almost never occurs.
Example: He hardly ever calls his relatives.
– Never (0%): This indicates that the action does not happen at all.
Example: They never tell lies.