English adverbs of frequency
Contents
We use adverbs of frequency to answer questions like “How often?”, “How much?”, and “How many times?”. They’re an important part of English grammar and can be used in a variety of ways.
Understanding adverbs of frequency is essential for clear communication in the English language, as they help convey key information and the speaker's intent.
In this reference, we will look at frequency adverbs in English, explore examples, find out how to use them in sentences, and see common mistakes to avoid.
What are adverbs of frequency?
Adverbs of frequency are words that describe how often something happens. They help us describe activities, situations, or ask questions.
Adverbs of frequency usually come up in the present or past tense, but they can also be used in the future sometimes. For example, "I always go running on Sundays" in the present tense can become "I will be running daily starting next year" in the future.
There are two main types:
- absolute adverbs like “always” and “never,” which express exact frequency;
- relative adverbs like “regularly” or “occasionally,” which show approximate frequency.
Adverbs of frequency are also classified as indefinite frequency (general frequency, e.g., "often") or definite frequency (specific intervals, e.g., "every day").
Additionally, adverbs of frequency can modify adjectives or other adverbs, such as in “very often” or “very quickly.”
List of adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of frequency are divided into two main categories: absolute adverbs and relative adverbs.
There are only two absolute adverbs of frequency:
- Always
Example: I always drink coffee in the morning.
- Never
Example: She never eats fast food
And here is a list of relative adverbs of frequency:
- Usually
Example: They usually visit the park on weekends.
- Frequently
Example: Students frequently do their homework before class.
- Often
Example: He often watches TV after dinner.
- Sometimes
Example: We sometimes eat junk food on Fridays.
- Occasionally
Example: They occasionally walk to the library after school.
- Seldom
Example: She seldom plays football during the week.
- Rarely
Example: I rarely go to the cinema alone.
These common adverbs are often associated with specific percentages to indicate how often an action occurs (e.g., "always" = 100%, "never" = 0%). Using the most common adverbs of frequency helps provide clarity and precision in communication.
Adverb of frequency examples
Adverbs of frequency are used to answer questions like “How often?”, “How much?”, and “How many times?”.
You can use them to describe an activity or a situation, or to ask a question. For example, to find out how often someone goes to the gym, you can ask:
How often do you go to the gym?
You can also modify adjectives or adverbs. For example, you can say “She runs very quickly,” where “very” is an adverb of frequency that is used to modify the adverb “quickly.”
Here are 5 more examples for your reference:
- I always arrive early.
- He rarely goes out.
- She often talks too much.
- They usually eat lunch together.
- He never forgets an appointment.
- I hardly ever eat dessert.
- I am rarely late to meetings.
- She often reads before bed.
- He usually attends meetings on Mondays.
Note: People pronounce the word "often" in different ways. In British English, the "t" is often pronounced (off-ten), while in American English, it is more common to omit the "t" sound (off-en).
2
Adverb of Frequency Grammar
There are some rules that you should be aware of in your adverb telling frequency.
The position of adverbs of frequency depends on the type of verb in the sentence, especially when auxiliary verbs are present. Adverbs of frequency are usually placed between the auxiliary verb and the main verb. For example, in the sentence “I have always eaten breakfast,” the adverb “always” comes after the auxiliary verb “have” and before the main verb “eaten.” Auxiliary verbs play a key role in determining the correct placement of adverbs of frequency. In most positive sentences, the adverb is placed after the subject and before the main verb, as in “I always eat breakfast.” However, the position may change in negative or question forms, such as “Do you always eat breakfast?” or “I don’t usually go out on weeknights.” The subject typically comes first, followed by the auxiliary verb (if present), then the adverb of frequency, and finally the main verb.
There are exceptions to these rules. For example, when the main verb is “to be,” the adverb of frequency usually follows it: “She is always on time.” Another exception occurs with auxiliary verb phrases, where the adverb is placed after the first auxiliary: “He has never been late.” Understanding these exceptions is important for correct sentence structure.
Certain expressions, such as “every day” or “once a week,” can also be used to indicate frequency. These expressions often come at the end of the sentence: “I go to the gym every day.”
When writing, correct adverb placement is essential for clarity and grammatical accuracy. Knowing how to position adverbs of frequency (position adverbs) in different sentence structures will help your sentences sound natural and clear.
Modal Verbs and Adverbs of Frequency
Modal verbs like "can," "must," "should," and "might" are pretty cool tools in English — they help you express everything from ability and permission to obligation and possibility (basically, they're the Swiss Army knife of grammar!). Now, when you want to spice things up and talk about how often something happens with these modal verbs, that's where adverbs of frequency come to the rescue, giving you that extra detail to paint a clearer picture of just how frequently that action is going down.
Common mistakes with English adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of frequency (like always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, and never) seem simple, but learners often mix up their position in a sentence or confuse which verbs they work with.
Let’s clear that up and look at the most common mistakes — and how to fix them:
- Putting the adverb in the wrong place
❌ She goes always to the gym.
✅ She always goes to the gym.
Note: Adverbs of frequency usually go before the main verb but after “to be.” - Using two adverbs of frequency together
❌ I always usually wake up early.
✅ I usually wake up early.
Note: Only use one frequency adverb per sentence. - Incorrect placement with “to be” verbs
❌ He always is tired.
✅ He is always tired.
Note: When using am/is/are/was/were, put the adverb after the “to be” verb. - Using an adverb of frequency with continuous tenses incorrectly
❌ She is always eating fast food. (unless it’s criticism!)
✅ She always eats fast food.
Note: "Always" + continuous tense expresses annoyance or complaint, not a normal habit. - Mixing up adverbs and expressions of frequency
❌ I always go to the cinema every weekend.
✅ I always go to the cinema.
✅ I go to the cinema every weekend.
Note: Expressions like "every day," "once a week," or "three times a month" usually go at the end of a sentence. - Using the wrong form of the adverb
❌ She is an always person.
✅ She always helps everyone.
Note: Adverbs describe actions, not people or nouns. - Overusing “never” with negatives
❌ I don’t never drink coffee.
✅ I never drink coffee.
Note: Avoid double negatives — use "never" alone to make the sentence negative.
By paying attention to these common mistakes, you can use adverbs of frequency more accurately and confidently to improve your speaking English skills.
Summary
Adverbs of frequency are words that describe how often something occurs. They are used to answer questions like “How often?”, “How much?”, and “How many times?”. Adverbs of frequency are divided into two main categories: absolute adverbs and relative adverbs. They can also be used to modify adjectives or adverbs.
Be aware of the grammar rules when using adverbs of frequency and to avoid common mistakes. With practice, you will be able to freely use them in your own sentences and become more fluent.
Comments