Adverbs of frequency say how often an activity happens. We can use one word or a phrase.

Examples:
 always
 never
 frequently/often
 usually
 seldom/rarely
 nowadays
 every week/year
 sometimes/occasionally
 from time to time

Here are a few examples of how to use them in sentences:
 I always go to church on Sundays.
 I never eat anything after 10 p.m.
 My computer freezes from time to time.
 Seldom do I go to bed before midnight.
 Nowadays most people have a mobile phone.

The position of adverbs of frequency is often very tricky. However, there are several good rules that you can follow.
Let's divide adverbs of frequency into two groups.

Group"a": always, continually, frequently, occasionally, often, once, twice, periodically, repeatedly,sometimes, usually.
Group "b": ever, hardly ever, never, rarely, scarcely ever, seldom.

Adverbs in both groups are normally placed:

1. After the simple tenses of "to be" (He is always in time for meals).
2. Before the simple tenses of all other verbs. (They sometimes stay up all night).

With compound tenses, they are placed after the first auxiliary, or—with interrogative verbs—after "auxiliary +subject":

 He can never understand.

 You have often been told not to do that.
 Have you ever ridden a camel?

Exceptions
"Used to" and "have to" prefer the adverb in front of them:
 You hardly ever have to remind him; he always remembers.
Frequency adverbs are often placed before auxiliaries when these are used alone, in addition to remarks or in answers
to questions:

o Person A: Can you park your car near the shops?
o Person B: Yes, I usually can.
 I know I should take exercise, but I never do.
and when in a compound verb, the auxiliary is stressed:
 I never can remember. She hardly ever has met him.
Similarly when "do" is added for emphasis:
 I always do arrive in time!
But emphasis can also be given by stressing the frequency adverb and leaving it in its usual position after the auxiliary:
 You should always check your oil before starting.
Adverbs in group (a) above can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence or clause.
"always", "often"
 The adverb "always" is rarely found at the beginning of a sentence/clause except with imperatives.
 Always wash your hands before the meal!
"often", if put at the end, normally requires "very" or "quite":
 Often he walked.
 He walked quite often.
Adverbs in group (b) above: "hardly ever", "never", "rarely" etc. (but not "ever" alone), can also be put at the beginning
of a sentence, but inversion of the following main verb then becomes necessary:
 Hardly/Scarcely ever did they manage to meet unobserved. (Inversion of word order for emphasis)
"hardly" / "scarcely ever", "never", "rarely" and "seldom" are not used with negative verbs.
"never", "ever"
"never" is chiefly used with an affirmative verb, never with a negative one. It normally means "at no time"
 He never saw her again.
 I've never eaten snails.
 They never eat meat, (habit)
 I've never had a better flight.
"never + affirmative" can sometimes replace an ordinary negative:
 I waited but he never turned up. (Meaning: He didn't turn up)
"never + interrogative" can be used to express the speaker's surprise at the non-performance of an action:
 Has he never been to Japan? I'm surprised, because his wife is Japanese.

Frequency Adverbs Multiple Choice

Created with JBC

1 Carlos is an excellent student. He _________ goes to class.

always
usually
sometimes
seldom
never

2 I hate vegetables. I _________ eat carrots.

always
usually
sometimes
seldom
never

3 Robert goes to the gym only two or three times a year. He ________ goes to the gym.
always
never
usually
seldom
4 Harold never leaves the college on Friday. He ________ eats at the cafeteria on Fridays.
always
never
seldom

5 Ms. Biethan is always in a good mood. She is _________ sad.

always
usually
never

6 Teresa is not a pleasant person. She is ___________ in a bad mood.

never
seldom
always

7 My sister usually drives to work with a friend. She _________ drives alone.
never
always
usually
seldom

8 I never lend money to Curtis. He ______ pays me back.

sometimes
always
never
usually

9 Susan goes to the beach whenever she can. She _______ misses a chance to go to the ocean.
never
always
usually
10 It almost always rains in Seattle. The sun ________ shines there.
always
usually
seldom

Adverb Frequency Fill-In-The-Blank

created with JCloze

Please fill in the blanks with always, usually, seldom, or never.

The alarm clock beeped at 6:30 AM. Harold got up quickly because he gets up at 6:30 AM. After getting ready,
Harold ate breakfast. Harold only eats breakfast once or twice a month. Harold eats breakfast. Next, he went
downstairs and got into his car. The car wouldn't start so he had to take the bus. Harold hadn't taken the bus in five
years. He takes the bus. At the school, everyone was wondering where he was. Harold makes sure the
Multimedia Classroom is open at 8 AM. Harold is late. He is on time. Harold arrived at the school at
8:15 AM but he didn't check his mail. Harold checks his mail most days. He checks his mail. The first class
was scheduled to arrive at 8:30. Harold makes sure that the room is ready on time. Fortunately, Harold was
able to get things ready. He hopes that this happens again!
Put the adverb in the right place in the sentence:
1. She goes to bed early (always)
__________________________________________________________________
2. We watch TV (never)
__________________________________________________________________
3. Julie and Tom go to the cinema (often)
__________________________________________________________________
4. Alex meets John (once a week)
__________________________________________________________________
5. I eat fast food (sometimes)
__________________________________________________________________
6. They cook at home (hardly ever)
__________________________________________________________________
7. He studies English (every night)
__________________________________________________________________
8. You drink coffee (normally)
__________________________________________________________________
9. I go to the park (rarely)
__________________________________________________________________
10. They go to a restaurant (from time to time)
__________________________________________________________________
11. You visit your parents (several times a year)
__________________________________________________________________
12. She goes to museums (seldom)
__________________________________________________________________ Answers:
1. She always goes to bed early.
2. We never watch TV.
3. Julie and Tom often go to the cinema.
4. Alex meets John once a week.
5. I sometimes eat fast food.
6. They hardly ever cook at home.
7. He studies English every night.
8. You normally drink coffee.
9. I rarely go to the park.
10. They go to a restaurant from time to time.
11. You visit your parents several times a year.
12. She seldom goes to museums.

Rewrite the complete sentence using the adverb of frequency in brackets in its correct position.

1. They go to the movies. (often)

2. She listens to classical music. (rarely)

3. He reads the newspaper. (sometimes)

4. Sara smiles. (never)

5. She complains about her husband. (always)

6. I drink coffee. (sometimes)

7. Frank is ill. (often)

8. He feels terrible (usually)

9. I go jogging in the morning. (always)

10. She helps her daughter with her homework. (never)

11. We watch television in the evening. (always)

12. I smoke. (never)

13. I eat meat. (seldom)

14. I eat vegetables and fruits. (always)

Warning

ewrite the complete sentence using the adverb of frequency in brackets in its correct position.
1. They often go to the movies. (often)
2. She rarely listens to classical music. (rarely)
3. He sometimes reads the newspaper. (sometimes)
4. Sara never smiles. (never)
5. She always complains about her husband. (always)
6. I drink sometimes coffee. (sometimes)
7. Frank often is ill. (often)
8. He usually feels terrible (usually)
9. I always go jogging in the morning. (always)
10. She never helps her daughter with her homework. (never)
11. We always watch television in the evening. (always)
12. I never smoke. (never)
13. I seldom eat meat. (seldom)
14. I always vegetables and fruits. (always)