The main adverbs of frequency are always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, rarely and never.
Putting them in the wrong place in a sentence is a very common mistake for learners.
These are the basic rules. If you follow them, you will be safe in your exams!:
Adverbs of frequency come after the verb be but before all other verbs:
- He is always busy. (NOT He always is busy.)
- She rarely does her homework. (NOT She does rarely her homework.)
They come between an auxiliary verb and the main verb:
- I’ve never met your brother. (NOT I never have met your brother.)
- He doesn’t always have breakfast. (NOT He doesn’t have always breakfast.)
They come between a modal verb and another verb:
- You should never leave a dog in a hot vehicle. (NOT You never should leave a dog in a hot vehicle.)
Questions follow the same general rules:
- Is he always late?
- Does she usually bring her own food?
- Has he always lived alone?
It is also possible to use usually and sometimes at the beginning or end of a sentence. However, remember that this is not possible with the other common adverbs of frequency.
- Usually, she comes with her mother.
- Sometimes James gives me a lift.
- I prefer to walk sometimes.
For more general advice on learning grammar, see our post How to learn grammar for B1/PET and B2/FCE
0 Comments