Adverbs of Frequency in English • 7ESL

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Adverbs of frequency help communicate how often an event occurs. You can use them to say something happens weekly, hourly, or monthly. This reference covers various adverbs of frequency, their rules, common mistakes, and their position in a sentence.

What Are Adverbs of Frequency?

Adverbs of frequency tell you how often something happens. They can be split into two main types: definite frequency and indefinite frequency.

Definite Frequency: These specify exact intervals.

Examples: hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, every second, once a minute, twice a year.

Indefinite Frequency: These do not specify exact times.

Examples: always, usually, regularly, normally, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, seldom, never.

Here are some sentences using adverbs of frequency:

He is always ready to take on heavy responsibilities.
We usually go to a restaurant on Sundays.
I communicate with him regularly by letter.

Adverbs of Definite Frequency

Adverbs of definite frequency provide exact information on how often an event occurs. They typically answer the question “How often?” and often appear at the end of a sentence. Some examples of adverbs of definite frequency include daily, weekly, hourly, once, and twice. These adverbs enable you to express a specific time frame for an action or event.

For instance, consider the following examples:

Every employee pays taxes yearly.
She drinks coffee every day.
The nurse checks the patient every hour.
He visits his grandparents weekly.

Adverbs of definite frequency are helpful in providing a clear and precise understanding of an event’s occurrence. In contrast to adverbs of indefinite frequency, which do not specify an exact time frame, definite frequency adverbs offer a more concrete and specific understanding of how often an action takes place.

When using adverbs of definite frequency, it is important to place them in the correct position within the sentence. Generally, they will appear at the end of the sentence to avoid confusion and maintain clarity. However, they can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis. Here are some examples of both placements:

Placed at the end of the sentence:

The company holds a meeting monthly.
We have family dinners every Sunday.

Placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis:

Yearly, this charity event helps hundreds of people.
Biweekly, the team reviews their goals and progress.

Adverbs of Indefinite Frequency

Adverbs of indefinite frequency express an unspecified or uncertain frequency of an action or event. These adverbs often give a general idea of how often something happens, rather than an exact number. Common examples include: always, usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, and never.

Adverbs of indefinite frequency typically appear in the middle of the sentence, often just before the main verb. For example:

She usually reads a book before going to bed.
He rarely eats breakfast in the morning.
They occasionally watch movies together on weekends.

When the verb “to be” is used, these adverbs come after the verb:

John is always late to work.
Maria is sometimes tired in the evenings.

These adverbs are commonly used with simple present tense verbs, as they describe habits or recurring actions.

Here’s a list of common adverbs of indefinite frequency, ordered from highest to lowest frequency:

Frequency	Adverb
100%	Always
80-90%	Usually
60-70%	Often
30-50%	Sometimes
10-20%	Occasionally / Rarely
0%	Never

Position of Frequency Adverbs

We often place adverbs of frequency in these adverb positions.

Rule 1

Most adverbs come before the verb.

Examples:

I sometimes watch Chinese films.

She never eats vegetables.

I always read comic books.

They rarely watch music channels.

Rule 2

Use adverbs of frequency after these five forms of be: am, is, are, was, were.

Examples:

I am always worried about my study result.

She is usually very happy.

She is always cooking spaghetti.

You are seldom anxious about my health.

Rule 3

When a verb has a helping verb, the adverb goes after the first part of the verb.

Examples:

Drivers should always wear a seat belt.

Richard doesn’t usually smoke.

Rule 4

Sometimes we use frequency adverbs at the beginning of the sentence.

Examples:

Always wash your hands before the meal!

Often he walked.

Sometimes I go skating.

Rule 5

Sometimes we use frequency adverbs at the end of the sentence.

Examples:

We read books occasionally.

They like to watch TV often.

We go to school by bike sometimes.

Mistakes to Avoid with Adverbs of Frequency

Misplacing Adverbs

One common mistake is misplacing adverbs of frequency within a sentence. To avoid this, follow the general rules for adverb placement:

Correct: She usually works on Fridays.
Incorrect: She works on Fridays usually.

Another example:

Correct: They have never been to Japan.
Incorrect: They never have been to Japan.

Using Multiple Frequency Adverbs

Avoid using two frequency adverbs in one sentence as it can create a contradiction.

Incorrect: I always sometimes cook dinner.
Correct: I sometimes cook dinner.

Incorrect Context

Using an adverb of frequency in the wrong context can confuse your audience. Make sure the adverb you choose fits the situation accurately.

Incorrect: She always visits her grandparents every month.
Correct: She often visits her grandparents every month.

Adverb of Frequency Video

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