Always, usually, never: adverbs of frequency in English

Adverbs of frequency say how often something happens: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. They usually go before the main verb (“I usually drink tea.”) but after the verb “to be” (“She is always late.”).

Where they go

Before the main verb: “We often walk to school.”, “He never eats meat.” After “to be”: “I am usually tired on Mondays.” After an auxiliary verb if there is one: “I have never been to Paris.”, “You can always ask me.” “Sometimes” can also start a sentence: “Sometimes I cook dinner.”

Asking and being more exact

To ask about frequency: “How often do you exercise?” For more exact answers, expressions go at the end of the sentence: “once a week”, “twice a month”, “every day”: “I go swimming twice a week.”

Common mistakes for Turkish speakers

Because adverbs can move around in Turkish, they often end up in the wrong place in English: not “I drink usually coffee”, but “I usually drink coffee”. “Never” is already negative, so it is not used with “not”: not “I don't never go”, but “I never go”.

A short exercise

Think about your week and write six sentences, each with a different adverb of frequency (always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never). Then prepare three “How often…?” questions to ask a friend.

To keep going, see Present simple or present continuous? The difference and How to practise everyday English speaking at home.

Frequently asked questions