When we want to express the frequency of an activity we can use words such as: always, often, usually, sometimes, seldom and never. These are called frequency adverbs.
Look at the following sentence and their meaning.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Let’s see more examples. Pay attention to the circles on the calendars and the sentences.
My friends and I always go to the cinema. = We go to the cinema every month.
My friends and I usually go to the cinema. = We go to the cinema ten times a year.
My friends and I often go to the cinema. = We go to the cinema seven times a year.
My friends and I sometimes go to the cinema.= We go to the cinema four times a year.
My friends and I seldom go to the cinema.= We go to the cinema twice a year.
My friends and I never go to the cinema.= We don’t go to the cinema together.
Now, here is a challenge. Match each frequency adverb with a percentage.
Other frequency adverbs are:
Normally - 80%
Occasionally - 30%
Rarely - 5%
Well done! Now, let’s see how to use the frequency adverbs in a sentence.
Frequency adverbs go before the main verb.
With verb to be, the frequency adverb goes after it.
Example:
CCH students are always on time for their classes.
My brother is always happy.
Usually and sometimes can go at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.
Example:
I sometimes go camping. = Sometimes I go camping. = I go camping sometimes.
There are some other time expressions that can be used to talk about frequency. For example:
I visit the CCH Academic website every day.
My friends attend their English class on Mondays and Wednesdays.
If you want to know more about these time expressions, click here.
Look at the given sentences and then, complete the second sentences with a frequency adverb and the correct form of the verb.
Example:
I go to the gym seven days a week.
I always go to the gym.
Read about Paul’s activities and then decide if the sentences are true or false.
Paul’s an early bird because every day he gets up at 5:00 am. After taking a shower and getting dressed he is ready for school. He goes to school by taxi on Mondays, and the rest of the week he takes a bus. He is a punctual person, but today he was late for school.
Once a month he visits his grandmother in Guanajuato. He loves going to Guanajuato because every time he stays at his grandmother’s house she bakes a delicious cake. This year was an exception because she was on holidays and Paul visited her in Cancun.
| True | False | |
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1. Paul always gets to school by bus on Mondays. |
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2. Paul is never late for school. |
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3. Paul’s grandmother seldom cooks a cake for him. |
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4. Sometimes Paul visits Cancun. |
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Now, rewrite the sentences with the correct information.