Frequency adverbs

Frequency adverbs are often used with the simple present tense to indicate how often or how many times we do something. They are used with other tenses also. Frequency adverbs occur in different positions in the sentence.

Middle-Position Frequency Adverbs

alwaysrarely

almost always hardlyever

usuallyalmost never

oftennever

seldom

AFFIRNIATIVE STATEMENTS

These frequency adverbs usually go after the verb be and before other verbs.

Examples

The Verb Be

The big oil companies are always interested in finding new places to drill for oil. The oil in Alaska is not easy to drill because it is often offshore and deep under the sea.

Other Verbs

Oil money is very important in Alaska. The state usually gets about eighty-five percent of its budget from oil sales and taxes from oil companies. Alaskans always ask themselves this question: flow can we keep the oil money coming in and protect our beautiful state from oil spills at the same time?

NEGATIVE STATEMENTS

In negative statements, we usually place always, almost always, usually, and often after not. This is true of be and other verbs.

Examples

The production of oil doesn't always increase from year to year. When companies drill for new oil wells, they don't always find oil.

Frequency Adverbs

In Initial or Middle Position

Sometimes, occasionally, and frequently can go at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.

Frequency Adverbs

In Middle or Final Position

The following expressions usually come at the end of the sentence. Sometimes they come in the middle.

once a dayevery dayevery now and then

twice a week every yearevery once in a while

three times a year every summerfrom time to time

five times a week all the time