What are Adverbs of Frequency?
Imagine a sentence like “I go to the park.” It’s accurate, but a bit bland, right? Enter adverbs of frequency! These words modify verbs to tell us how often an action occurs. Think of them as adding a temporal beat to your sentence.
Adverbs of Frequency Rules:
Using adverbs of frequency isn’t rocket science, but there are a few handy rules to keep in mind:
Position: Typically, adverbs of frequency come after the subject but before the verb (unless there’s an auxiliary verb like “do,” “have,” or “will,” in which case they go between the auxiliary and the main verb).
Degree of Frequency: Adverbs can range from expressing high frequency (always, often) to low frequency (rarely, never).
Specificity: Some adverbs offer specific percentages (e.g., sometimes, occasionally), while others are more general (e.g., frequently, seldom).
Examples of Adverbs of Frequency:
Let’s see how adverbs of frequency bring sentences to life:
High Frequency: I always brush my teeth before bed. (Every single time!)
Medium Frequency: I usually cook dinner at home. (Most nights, but not always)
Low Frequency: She rarely misses her yoga class. (Almost never)
Specificity: We sometimes go camping on weekends. (Not every weekend, but occasionally)
Adverbs of Frequency List:
To get your creative juices flowing, here’s a handy list of adverbs of frequency to add to your vocabulary toolbox:
High Frequency: always, constantly, continually, every day, every time, forever, incessantly, invariably, regularly, routinely, unceasingly
Medium Frequency: daily, frequently, generally, habitually, normally, often, typically, usually
Low Frequency: hardly ever, infrequently, occasionally, rarely, scarcely, seldom, not often
Specific Frequency: every now and then, from time to time, once in a while, sometimes, twice a week