What are adverbs of frequency in English?
Adverbs of frequency are words or phrases that explain how often an activity happens.
There are two types of adverbs of frequency: definite and indefinite.
Definite adverbs of frequency give an exact indication of how often an activity occurs.
Example: I go to the swimming pool once a week.
Indefinite adverbs of frequency give an idea of how often an activity occurs, this can be open to interpretation.
Example: I sometimes go to the swimming pool.
Where do I use adverbs of frequency in a sentence?
Definite adverbs of frequency
These adverbs will go at the start or end of a sentence. They are usually placed that the start of a sentence to add more emphasis.
Once a month I go to the doctors
or
I go to the doctors once a month.
Indefinite adverbs of frequency
1. They occur before the main verb of a sentence
e.g. I always eat breakfast.
2. They occur after the verb BE.
e.g. I am never late for work.
NOTE: Be careful with sentences that contain more than one verb, such as sentences that use auxiliary verbs and modal verbs. The adverb will always go before the MAIN verb of the sentence.
e.g. I must always do my homework.
e.g. I have never eaten spinach
Exercises about Adverbs of Frequency
Exercise 1: Group the following adverbs of frequency
Exercise 2: Select the correct option to complete the sentence
Exercise 3: Rearrange the words given to form a correct sentence
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