We use frequency adverbs to describe how often something
happens. We use them with the Present Simple tense.
We place the frequency adverbs BEFORE the main verb (in
Present Simple).
I always walk to work.
He doesn’t USUally wear jeans.
Do yoU often write letters?
BUT, we put them AFTER the verb TO BE.
He is never late.
The children aren’t USUally tired after school.
Are yoU often sad?
How often…? To ask about the frequency of an action.
We place it at the beginning of the question.
I
you
do he / she / it verb
How often ?
does we
they
How often do YOU go to the cinema?
How often does Mary cook?
Use once / twice
NOT one time
once day two times
twice week
a
three times month
four times… year
We go to the theatre once a week.
Peter plays football five times a month.
evening / morning / night…
every day / weekend…
Saturday / Monday…
week / year…
Mary cooks every day.
I play tennis every SUNDAY.
The rest of the frequency expressions
are placed at the end of the sentence
A. Put the words in the correct order to make sentences, as in the example.
play /often / on / SUndays / they / football
They often play football on SUNdays.
1. late / is / she / sometimes
She is sometimes late
2. early / up / sister / never / Sundays / on / gets / my
My sister never on early gets up Sundays
3. usually / he / goes / to / on / Fridays / the / cinema
He usually goes on Fridays to the Cinema
4. go / you / restaurant / often / a / do / how / to / ?
How often do you go to a restaurant?
5. she / the / beach / to / always / goes / in / the / summer
She always goes to the beach in the summer
6. sometimes / her / does / she / Fridays / on / shopping
She does sometimes her shopping on Fridays
7. go / we / twice / month / the / theatre / to / a
We go to the theatre twice a month
8. never / in / is / the / at / mornings / Peter / home
Peter never is in the home at mornings
9. he / work / rides / bike / to / his / often
He often rides his bike to work
10. home / they / get / six o’clock / usually / at
They usually get at home six o´clock
11. every / homework / students / their / good / do / day
Students do good their homework every day
12. you / out / how / in / do / evenings / often / go / the / ?
How often do you go in out the evenings?
B. Put the frequency adverbs and expressions in the right place.
1. Susan is late for school. (never)
Susan is never late for school.
2. My brother doesn’t write letters to his friends. (usually)
My brother doesn´t usually write letters to his friends.
3. We go on holidays. (twice a year)
We go on holidays twice a year.
4. Peter wears a tie. (sometimes)
Peter sometimes wears a tie.
5. I eat fish. (once a week)
I eat fish once a week.
6. Do the children watch TV? (often)
Do often the children watch tv?
7. My father is very busy. (always)
My father always is very busy.
8. Peter tidies his room. (never)
Peter never tidies his room.
9. My brother and I go fishing. (every week)
My brother and I go fishing every week.
10. My mother goes shopping on Saturdays. (always)
My mother always goes shopping on Saturdays.
11. Do you get up late at the weekend? (usually)
Do you usually get up late at the weekend?
12. I drink tea. (every morning)
I drink tea every morning.
13. Mary rides her motorbike to work. (sometimes)
Mary sometimes rides her motorbike to work.
14. I exercise in the afternoons. (often)
I often exercise in the afternoons.
15. Does Jane have lunch at home? (usually)
Does Jane usually have lunch at home?
C. Use the prompts and the frequency adverbs to write sentences about yourself.
always usually often sometimes never
1. get up at seven o’clock
I always get up at seven o´clock
2. have a shower in the morning
I sometimes have a shower in the morning.
3. have lunch at school
I always have lunch at school.
4. do homework in the afternoon
I usually do homework in the afternoon.
5. play computer games in the evenings
I sometimes play computer games in the evenings.
6. cook dinner
I never cook dinner.
7. watch TV before I go to bed
I always watch TV before I go to bed.
8. go to bed early
I never go to bed early.
D. Answer the following questions using frequency expressions.
1. How often do you eat pasta?
Sometimes.
2. How often do you meet your friends?
Every day.
3. How often do you brush your teeth?
Three times a day.
4. How often do you do exercise?
Once a day.
5. How often do you use the computer?
Always.
6. How often do you go away?
Every week.
E. Choose the correct sentence.
1. a) Jim never is at work.
b) Jim is at work never.
c) Never is Jim at work.
d) Jim is never at work.
2. a) We have usually lunch at 12 o’clock.
b) We usually have lunch at 12 o’clock.
c) We have lunch at usually 12 o’clock.
d) We have lunch at 12 usually o’clock.
3. a) She travels always by train.
b) Always she travels by train.
c) She always travels by train.
d) She travels by always train.
4. a) They go out sometimes in the evening.
b) They sometimes go out in the evening.
c) They go out in sometimes the evening.
d) They go sometimes out in the evening.
