What are adverbs of frequency? Where do they appear in a sentence? Let’s explore everything you need to know about adverbs of frequency with IDP, including definitions, common examples, placement, and practice exercises to help boost your IELTS grammar.
1. What Are Adverbs of Frequency?
Adverbs of frequency are used to describe how often an action or event occurs. These adverbs help answer questions such as “How often?” or “How frequently?”
Since adverbs of frequency often refer to repeated actions, they are commonly used with the present simple tense.
Examples:
Mother usually grinds down the food for the baby.
There’s always more fish in the sea.
She is old and rarely goes out.
2. Common Types of Adverbs of Frequency
Definite Adverbs of Frequency
These provide specific frequency and are usually placed at the end of a sentence.
Examples:
Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
Every second, once a minute, twice a year
Once, twice, three times
Example:
I go jogging twice a week.
Indefinite Adverbs of Frequency
These indicate general frequency without specifying an exact number of times. They are commonly used in everyday conversation.
Frequency (%) | Adverb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
100% | Always, Constantly | All the time |
90% | Usually | Most of the time |
80% | Normally, Generally | Typically |
70% | Often, Frequently | Regularly |
50% | Sometimes | Occasionally |
30% | Occasionally | From time to time |
10% | Seldom | Rarely |
5% | Hardly ever, Rarely | Almost never |
0% | Never | Not at all |
3. How to Use Adverbs of Frequency
There are two main uses of adverbs of frequency in English:
Case 1: To Describe Frequency of an Action
These adverbs modify the verb to express how often something happens.
Examples:
He usually arrives at 9:30.
She always exercises early in the morning.
He rarely cooks for me.
Case 2: To Answer the Question “How often?”
They are used as responses to frequency-based questions.
Examples:
Do you often travel? → I travel once or twice a month.
How frequently do you go to the gym? → I usually go three times a week.
4. Placement of Adverbs of Frequency
Many learners wonder where to place adverbs of frequency in a sentence. Here's a general guide:
At the beginning of a sentence
(except for hardly, ever, never, always, often)
Used for emphasis.
Examples:
Normally, the letter would not have come to my notice.
Sometimes, I just need someone to talk to.
Between the subject and the main verb
Examples:
Our cat usually stays out at night.
Teenagers and their parents rarely agree.
After an auxiliary or modal verb
Examples:
I have never committed any crime.
She has rarely shown emotion.
After the verb to be
Examples:
I am often caught in the middle.
Angels are usually shown dressed in white.
In negative and interrogative sentences, the adverb comes before the main verb
Examples:
Poetry doesn't usually translate well.
What does Lan usually do on weekends?
5. Exercises – Adverbs of Frequency
Exercise 1: Rearrange the Words to Form Complete Sentences
often / they / play / tennis / on / weekends
rarely / they / eat / at / that / restaurant
always / Minh / arrives / early / for / meetings
seldom / we / travel / during / the / winter
always / in / she / the morning / up / early / gets
to / they / movies / on weekends / often / go
rarely / eats / fast food / Hao
goes / my / gym / to / sister / the / never
practice / piano / she / the / plays / occasionally
studies / rarely / at / night / he
Answers:
They often play tennis on weekends.
They rarely eat at that restaurant.
Minh always arrives early for meetings.
We seldom travel during the winter.
She always gets up early in the morning.
They often go to movies on weekends.
Hao rarely eats fast food.
My sister never goes to the gym.
She occasionally plays the piano.
He rarely studies at night.
Exercise 2: Fill in the Correct Form of the Verb and Adverb
Nathan ………………. (often/wash) his car at the weekend.
We ………………. (rarely/go) to the water puppet theater.
Her sister ………………. (hardly ever/help) her with her homework.
………………. you ………………. (sometimes/be) bored in science class?
They ………………. (usually/shop) for groceries on Saturday mornings.
He will ………………. (never/appreciate) your kind gesture.
I ………………. (constantly/have) a thirst for traveling the world.
Nancy and I ………………. (occasionally/hang) out together.
It ………………. (frequently/rain) here in the summer.
………………. Amy ………………. (usually/take) the dog off his leash at the beach?
Answers:
often washes
rarely go
hardly ever helps
Do – sometimes
usually shop
never appreciate
constantly have
occasionally hang
frequently rains
Does – usually take
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