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1.8: Adverbs of Frequency

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    108058
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    Adverbs of Frequency

           Adverbs of Frequency answer the questions of “How often and ever.” 

    For example:

    How often do you study before school?     I never study before school.
                                                                My friend always studies before school. 
                                                                I don’t ever study before school.

    How often do you take a shower in the morning?      I sometimes take a shower in the morning.
                                                                               I always take a shower in the morning.
                                                                               My wife hardly ever takes a shower in the morning.

    Have you ever visited Paris?          I visited Paris 38 years ago.
                                                     I have never visited Paris.
                                                     I visit Paris every summer.

    Have you ever seen a ghost?          I have never seen a ghost.
                                                       My son saw a ghost last week.
                                                       I only see ghosts when I am drunk.

    Is your friend ever in a bad mood?     He is sometimes in a bad mood.
                                                          He is never in a bad mood.
                                                          He is seldom in a bad mood.

           Their position in a sentence depends on the adverb, the kind of main verb, and whether the verb is affirmative or negative.  The following list of adverbs of frequency also gives an estimate of the “frequency of time” that the adverbs mean.

    Adverb of Frequency     % of Time Indicated by the Adverb of Frequency

    Always                        100 % of the time
    Usually                        85 to 99 % of the time
    Frequently                   70 to 84 % of the time
    Often                          60 to 69 % of the time
    Occasionally                45 to 59 % of the time
    Sometimes                  20 to 44 % of the time
    Seldom                       10 to 19 % of the time
    Rarely                        10 to 19 % of the time
    Hardly ever                 1 to 9 % of the time
    Never                         0 % of the time
    Ever                           0 % to 100 %

                                                                                                                                                                                  

    These percentages are only used as a reference.  They are not exact.

    Sentence Position of Adverbs of Frequency in Affirmative Sentences

    In affirmative sentences, adverbs of frequency come in front of action verbs, but they come after the verb “to be.” 

    Examples:

    I usually eat dinner around 8:00 o’clock in the evening.
    My sons never ask if my wife wants help cleaning the house.
    Most American teachers seldom wear ties to school.
    I have never smoked cigarettes in my life.

    I am occasionally tired when I come to school.
    My sister is always fun to be with.
    We were never in serious trouble as children.
    Most of my students are usually in class on time.                                                                                                       

    Sentence Position of Adverbs of Frequency in Negative Sentences

           In negative sentences, the adverbs of frequency follow the negative helping verbs

    Examples:

    I don’t usually do homework on Saturday afternoons.
    My son doesn’t often clean his bedroom.
    My wife doesn’t frequently cook Japanese food at my house.
    Students can’t always come to class on time.
    I haven’t often gotten angry with students in class.
    He hasn’t ever had a car accident. 

           “Sometimes and occasionally” are exceptions.  “Sometimes and occasionally” always come before the negative helping verbs.

    We sometimes aren’t at home in the evening.
    The weather occasionally isn’t rainy in Seattle in winter.
    Wives occasionally aren’t happy with their husbands watching sports on television.
    My mother sometimes wasn’t home in the evening because she sometimes had to work late.
    He sometimes doesn’t help his parents carry heavy things.
    I occasionally can’t keep my eyes open when doing homework late at night.
    My sister sometimes doesn’t cry when she watches sad movies.
    My son occasionally isn’t at home for dinner.
    We sometimes don’t watch the news at 11:00 PM.

           The following adverbs of frequency are never used with the negative because they are already negative in meaning: seldom, rarely, hardly ever, and never.

    Examples:

    I never play with matches or any kind of fire.
    Teachers seldom like students who disturb the class and don’t do their homework.
    My family hardly ever eats in a fast food restaurant.
    Students rarely cause trouble in my classes.
    I am seldom absent from school.
    My sons have hardly ever worn ties in their lives.

           People do not always follow the “rules” when using adverbs of frequency.  Sometimes people will put the adverb of frequency first or last in a sentence. 

    Adverb of Frequency Exercise 

    Exercise 48:  Use an adverb of frequency in the following sentences please.

    1.  I have ------------------- been in jail in my life.

    2.  Some students are ------------------ late for class.  They ------------------ come on time.

    3.  I ------------------- eat at home with my family in the evening.

    4.  It ------------------- rains in Seattle during the months of November and December.

    5.  Women ------------------ don’t do the cooking in a family.

    6.  Being absent from school the day before an examination is ------------------ a good idea.

    7.  The police ------------------- arrest the wrong person, but they ------------------- do.

    8.  Children should ------------------ play with real guns.

    9.  Our class -------------------- starts at 8:00 AM.

    10.  It has -------------------- been hot in Seattle before the month of May.

    11.  Not coming to class can ------------------ mean missing something important.

    12.  To eat a lot of food late at night is ----------------- good for digestion and sleep.

    13.  It is ------------------- difficult to stay awake after working all day long.

    14.  Students don’t ------------------ skip school for no reason.


    This page titled 1.8: Adverbs of Frequency is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Don Bissonnette.

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