Frequency adverbs

Indefinite Adverbs of Frequency

-Indefinite adverbs usually go before the main verb…

She rarely drinks.

I usually skip breakfast.

He often has to work late.

I have never smoked a cigarette.

-when there is an auxiliary or ‘helping’ verb in the sentence, the adverb of frequency always goes after the
auxiliary verb and before the main verb:

I have never eaten so much food in my life!

You can’t always get what you want!

-Adverbs of frequency go after the verb be…

He is always late for class!

She is constantly nagging me to lose weight.

My friend is rarely on time for anything.

*Sometimes, occasionally, normally, and usually, can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence:

Usually I exercise at night, not in the morning.

He likes to watch reality TV sometimes.

Occasionally she smokes a cigarette.

Normally I don’t do this, but I’ll make an exception for you!

*Frequently, constantly, regularly and most other adverbs of frequency can also go at the end of a sentence.
(Always, rarely, and seldom, CANNOT go at the end nor at the beginning of a sentence.)

My mother calls me on the phone frequently.

I exercise regularly.

I drink water constantly.

She always complains about the weather.

X: She complains about the weather always.

 *Negative adverbs of frequency (e.g. rarely, seldom, never) are not used in negative sentences or questions.

I rarely drink alcohol.

X: She doesn’t rarely drink alcohol.

X: Do you rarely drink alcohol?

(Remember, you can’t use double negatives/2 negative words in the same sentence in English!)

Definite adverbs of frequency

Definite adverbs of frequency are more specific than indefinite adverbs of frequency.

daily
annually
every day / hour / month / year / etc.
all the time
most of the time
most mornings / afternoon / evenings
once in a while
once / twice / etc.
once a week

 *Definite adverbs of frequency can go at the beginning or end of a sentence. They never go in the middle of
the sentence.

The cleaning staff cleans the hotel rooms daily.

X: The cleaning staff daily cleans the hotel rooms.

I see her at the gym all the time.

Do you go to school every day?

~ No, I don’t go to school every day?

He takes his kids to school most mornings.

Once in a while my mother babysits the kids.

Practice!
Quiz #1 – EnglishClub.com Quiz #2 – esl.about.com
Traduccions

once a day / week ... una vez al día / a la semana ...

twice a day / week ... dos veces al día / a la semana ...
three times a day / week ... tres veces al día / a la semana ...
daily diariamente
weekly semanalmente
monthly mensualmente
yearly, annually anualmente
every day todos los días
every week todas las semanas
every month todos los meses
every year todos los años
every other day día por medio
on Mondays los lunes
on weekdays los días de semana
on weekends los fines de semana
always siempre
almost always casi siempre
usually, regularly normalmente
often, frequently frecuentemente
Sometimes, occasionally a veces, de vez en cuando
almost never, hardly ever casi nunca
seldom, rarely raras veces
never nunca
constantly constantemente
continuously continuamente
again and again una y otra vez
every now and then de vez en cuando
from time to time de tanto en tanto