JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

What are adverbs of frequency?

An adverb of frequency is an adverb of time which describes the frequency of an action.
We use both indefinite and definite adverbs of frequency to describe how often something happens or how
frequently we do an activity.

In this lesson you will learn:

The adverbs of indefinite frequency.
The adverbs of definite frequency.
The position of adverbs of frequency in the
sentence.

Adverbs of indefinite frequency: They give a general indication of the frequency.

Adverbs of indefinite frequency

Percent
(%)

Meaning

Always/constantly/continually

100%

Siempre/constantemente/continuamente

Nearly always/almost always

90%

Casi siempre

usually/normally/ generally

80%

Usualmente/normalmente/generalmente

Often/frequently

70%

Con frecuencia/frecuentemente

Regularly

60%

Regularmente

Sometimes

50%

A veces

Occasionally/periodically

30%

Ocasionalmente/peridicamente

Rarely/seldom

20%

Raramente, rara vez/ raramente , pocas veces

Infrequently

10%

Infrecuentemente

Hardly ever/scarcely ever/nearly

never/almost never

5%

Casi nunca

Never

0%

Nunca

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

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JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

Position Rules:
I.

All of the adverbs of indefinite frequency are mainly placed in mid position, between the
subject and the main verb; except with the verb to be.
Examples:
1. I always go to the movie theatre on my own.
2. You nearly always come over for dinner.
3. She usually travels to different countries each year.
4. He often eats vegetable soup.
5. Mary regularly visits her grandma.
6. Charles sometimes comes over for dinner.
7. Charlotte occasionally rides a horse.
8. It seldom sounds like that in here.
9. Jane and her mother infrequently have a noisy argument with each other.
10. We hardly ever fail our exams.
11. They never speak badly of you.

II.

III.

If the main verb is the verb to be, the adverb of indefinite frequency is placed after it.
Examples:
1. Robert is never late for work.
2. John and his little brother are almost never tired.
3. My uncle and I are constantly sleepy.
4. Sarah is frequently early for class.
5. Elizabeth is periodically wrong.
6. Joseph is rarely rude to older people.
7. Martin is scarcely ever in a good mood.
8. Joshua is almost always absent from school.
9. It is normally sunny in this country.
10. They are generally at home in the afternoon.
11. We are sometimes worried about our future.
The indefinite adverbs of frequency usually, normally, generally, often, frequently,
sometimes and occasionally can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence.
Examples:
Note: When the adverb is
put at the beginning
1. Usually she goes to the gym on Saturdays.
of a sentence, you
2. Mario and his colleagues get together for a drink sometimes.
may add a comma to
3. Occasionally, one of my neighbours dog barks at nights.
make it more formal.
4. Claudia hands in her homework on time normally.
It is up on you.
5. Generally, they eat out at weekends.
6. Jesus is angry with everyone often.
7. Frequently his godmother is nervous when she travels to somewhere.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

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JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

IV.

The indefinite adverbs of frequency rarely , seldom and often can also go at the end
of a sentence, especially if they are preceded by the adverbs of degree either very or
quite.
Examples:
1.
2.
3.

V.

His house smells unpleasant quite often.

They live off their family very rarely.
Insane people have a shower quite seldom.

Some indefinite adverbs of frequency normally come at the end of a sentence. However,
when they are written at the beginning of a statement is in order to give emphasis (In this
situation you may add a comma to make it more formal if you want to).
Examples:
Once in a while
De vez
Every now and again
1. I go to the movies once in a while.
From time to time
en
2. She drinks wine every now and again.
Every now and then
cuando.
3. From time to time I visit my mother.
Every so often
4. We sail our boat every now and then.
5. Every so often, she smokes a cigarette.

Adverbs of definite frequency: They describe the exact frequency of an action.

Definite adverbs of frequency

Meaning

Once + a day/ a week / a month/ a year

Una vez al da/ a la semana/ al mes/ al ao

Twice +a day/ a week / a month/ a year

Dos veces al da/ a la semana/ al mes/ al ao

Three times + a day/ a week /a month/ a

year

Tres veces al da/ a la semana/ al mes/ al ao

Four times + a day/ a week / a month/ a year

Cuatro veces al da/ a la semana/ al mes/ al ao

Five times + a day/ a week /a month/ a year

Cinco veces al da/ a la semana/ al mes/ al ao

Hourly/daily/weekly/fortnightly/monthly/yearly

Cada hora/ diariamente/ semanalmente/

quincenalmente/mensualmente/anualmente

Every + second/ minute/ hour

Cada segundo/ cada minuto/ cada hora

Every + day/ week/ month/ year

Todos los das/ todas las semanas/ todos los

meses/ todos los aos

On+ days of the week( On Mondays)

Los lunes

At/on + the + weekend

El fin de semana

At/on+ weekends

Los fines de semana

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

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JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

I.

To say how often something happens or occurs with the definite adverbs of frequency, you
can use a ' number ' or 'several' or 'many', followed by 'times'. (If the number is one, use
'once' instead of 'one time'; but if the number is two use 'twice' , instead of 'two times')
Then add 'a' and a period of time. These longer frequency phrases can also come at the
start of a sentence for emphasis.

If the number of times is one, then we say once (not one time).
Examples:
1. She drinks water once a day.
2. I wash my car once a week.
3. They work here once a month.
4. Charles pays me a visit once a year.
If the number of times is two, then we say twice (not two times).
Examples:
1. I go to Lima twice a day.
2. Her boyfriend travels to Cuzco twice a week.
3. Robert and his wife go dancing twice a month.
4. Jane buys mattress twice a year.
If the number of times is more than two, then we say three times, four times,
and so on.
Examples:
1. People normally eat three times a day.
2. We sings in a pub four times a week.
3. They practice martial arts ten times a month.
4. Catherine has a noisy argument with her boyfriend twelve times a year.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 4

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

The period of time is in the singular form.

Examples:
1. We call our mother from abroad every day.
2. Betsy does the housework every other day.
3. I go swimming in the river every week.
4. Robert fails the school year every year.

The day of the week is in the plural form.

Examples:
1. Andrew watches football on Sundays.
2. My parents stay at home on Fridays.
3. Those men in mask rob this bank on Saturdays.
4. She plays volleyball in this park at/on weekends.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 5

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

These definite adverbs of frequency are equivalent to say every hour, every day,
every week, every monthly and every year.
Examples:
1. Cassandras baby girl cries hourly.
2. Arthur is behind Rose daily.
3. This magazine publishes interesting things weekly.
4. The bank sends us our statements of account monthly.

Note: These adverbs go at the

end of the sentence.
After the verbo or after
the object if there is
one.

5. My co-workers and I submit a new project yearly/annually.

Asking a question about frequency:

Examples:
1. How often do you play tennis with your friends?
2. How often are you unfaithful to your partner?

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 6

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

Write answer to these questions using as follows:

Examples:
1. How often do you wash your hair?
I wash my hair every day.
2. How often does your best friend call you on the phone?
My best friend calls me every week.

Write answer to these questions using the following form:

Examples:
1. How often do you go to the cinema?
I go to the cinema once a month.
2. How often does your father brush his teeth?
My father brushes his teeth three times a day.
Write answer to these questions using the indefinite adverbs of frequency as well:
Examples:
1. How often do you dance salsa at discos?
I always dance salsa at discos.
2. How often is she late for class?
She is never late for class.
TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA
ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 7

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

3. How often are you absent from university?
I am hardly ever absent from university.

4. How often does Mary get bad grades in her exams?

She almost always gets bad grades in her exams.
5. How often do your parents-in-law go on holiday?
They go on holiday very rarely.

Yes/no questions with adverbs of frequency:

Yes/ No Questions with To be:
Examples:
1. Is she always a good wife?
Yes, she always is.
No, she never is.
2. Are you usually thirsty at nights?
Yes, I usually am.
No, I never am.
3. Are they frequently busy in the afternoons?
Yes, they frequently are.
No, they sometimes are.
Yes/ No Questions with Do-Does:
Examples:
1.- Does Marys father always play chess?
Yes, he always does.
No, he always doesnt.
2.- Do they talk to each other often?
Yes, they often do.
No, they often doesnt.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 8

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

Exercises with adverbs of frequency
I.

Sort out the exercises below.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 9

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

I. Respond these questions using the adverbs of frequency.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

Page 10

JOSE FAUSTINO SANCHEZ CARRION UNIVERSITY LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

II. Use the adverb and the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
Use contractions where possible.
1.Our teacher, Mrs. Jones,
2.I
3.My brother
4.I
5.We
6.You and Tony
7.You
8.The school bus

(never / be) late for lessons.

(often / clean) my bedroom at the weekend.

(hardly ever / help) me with my homework.
(sometimes / be) bored in the maths lessons.
(rarely / watch) football on TV.
(never / play) computer games with me.
(usually / be) at the sports center on Sunday.
(always / arrive) at half past eight.

TEACHER: LIC. JORGE RESURRECCION NORABUENA

ENGLISH COURSE: Elemental IV
TOPIC: Adverbs of frequency

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