Adverbs of frequency – word order
Adverbs of frequency:
always, never, usually, sometimes, rarely, seldom, often, occasionally, ever.
Here are the rules for the position of these adverbs in a sentence.
| Adverbs of frequency: word order, position | |
| An adverb of frequency can go: before the main verb |
He always goes to work by bus. They never go on holiday in winter. |
| after the verb be | John is often absent from lessons. They were usually on time. |
| after modal verbs should, can, could, etc. | You should always turn the electricity off. My boss can never remember my name. |
| Sometimes and occasionally can go in the front, middle or end position of a sentence. | Sometimes, she is late. She is sometimes late. She is late sometimes. |
bec - November 26, 2016, 4:34 pm
but what about MEASURABLE frequency adverbs?
DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY etc!
Anonymous - June 21, 2018, 5:50 pm
They go at the end of the sentence.
For example, “Trixie showers daily”
In complex sentences, they can be at the end of the dependent clause (e.g. “The boy who showers biannually doesn’t have a lot of friends. “) at the end of the main clause (e.g. “The boy who doesn’t have a lot of friends showers biannually.”
Beam - August 2, 2017, 2:12 pm
What about frequently where should I put it?
Which one is better between put in the middle of the sentence or at the end ?
Anonymous - August 31, 2020, 10:47 am
can come before or after the main verb
sam - June 15, 2020, 3:21 am
Can we say, “Everyone has occasionally sleepless nights? ” or should we place “occasionally” in the front or at the end?
Mizuki - June 22, 2020, 3:53 pm
You may use “occasional (adjective)” instead of “occasionally (adverb)” in your sentence as you are describing the nights, not the frequency of the action: Everyone has occasional sleepless nights.
Alternatively, you may place “occasionally” at the end or at the front (with a comma), as you mentioned: Everyone has sleepless nights occasionally. / Occasionally, everyone has sleepless nights.
Or change the sentence from present to present perfect and keep “occasionally” in the middle: Everyone has occasionally had sleepless nights.
Also, you may leave your sentence as it is, but with commas: Everyone has, occasionally, sleepless nights.
Giselle - October 25, 2020, 3:03 am
Is this correct?
“I like doing exercise every morning for 15 minutes on average and twice a week for 1 Hour. That is very important for my health and help me keep active in my daily life on a daily basis. I do it in a private room at home usually.”
hannah - November 23, 2022, 1:08 pm
“I like doing exercise every morning for 15 minutes on average and twice a week for 1 Hour. IT is very important for my health and HELPS me keep active in my daily life on a daily basis. I do it in a private room at home usually.”
In my opinion this is mostly fine. I would make the change from ‘that’ to ‘it’, and there’s also the grammar error missing the 3rd person ‘s’ on ‘helps’.
The last sentence is ok, especially if speaking casually, but it sounds more natural to in the written form to put ‘usually’ after the main verb: “I usually do it in a private room at home.”
Wow Expensive - November 12, 2020, 1:45 pm
Results: English is a language for lazy people
Anonymous - June 16, 2022, 4:49 am
The explanation is very clear.
K - February 8, 2023, 7:39 pm
Hi, while completing a worksheet I encountered this exercise and could not find the rule that would explain it. between:
a) I showed my new music player to my friend. b) I showed to my friend my new music player. (B) is supposed to be correct.) however:
a) He drew for his mother a picture. b)He drew a picture for his mother. (B) is correct.)
The question is: why MY FRIEND goes before the music player but it would be incorrect to say: He drew for his mother a picture?
I know that it probably has to do with: TO. But can’t find the rule
Stuart Cook - February 10, 2023, 1:15 pm
”I showed my new music player to my friend” and ”I showed my friend my new music player” are both correct (note that it’s not ”showed TO my friend”.)
Verbs such as ”give” and ”show” have two objects: a direct object and an indirect object. The position of these two objects is flexible:
I gave Sara the pen.
OR
I gave the pen to Sara. (”Sara” = indirect object; ”pen” = direct object)
I showed my sister the book.
OR
I showed the book to my sister.
”For someone” isn’t an object of the verb and can only go after the verb and its object.
I wrapped the present for her. (”present” = object)
He cooked dinner for his dad. (”dinner” = object)