"How often do you...?" is a great way to to start a conversation with a new friend, coworker, or classmate. Adverbs of frequency help us to describe our habits and hobbies. They also help provide examples in our writing. These adverbs (words that describe verbs) can be thought of in percentages, with "Always" as 100% of the time, and "Never" as 0% of the time. To learn more about adverbs and other parts of speech, click here.
Always (100%)
All the time!
Use "always" for describing your most frequent habits. Use this adverb of frequency with things you do everyday or every time you do something else.
- I always say hello to strangers.
- When I am in my hometown, I always visit my grandmother.
- Things weren't always this hard.
Usually (90%)
Most of the time; quite often
Use "usually" things you do a lot of the time, but not quite always.
- I usually drink coffee with breakfast.
- We usually shop on the weekends.
- Scientists usually know what they're talking about.
Often (80%)
Often! More than once in a while, but less than usually
Use "often" to describe things you do frequently (you can also use "frequently!"), and can be used
with related circumstances. For example: "When I ___, I often___"
- When she visits, my aunt often brings gifts.
- He doesn't travel all that often.
- The doctors and nurses are often overworked.
Sometimes (50%)
About half of the time
Sometimes you do this action (verb), sometimes you don't. This is also a good answer if you're not sure how often you do something!
- My daughter is a bad-tempered child, sometimes.
- Sometimes I wonder: where does the time go?
- Researchers sometimes found harmful bacteria in the city's water supply.
Occasionally / On occasion (20%)
When the time is right... There is an "occasion" for everything. Do you only see your cousins every few
months? Do you only eat dessert on the holidays? That's "occasionally!"
- Her husband smokes cigarettes, but only occasionally.
- I've been known to dance on occasion!
- Occasionally, it's difficult to concentrate on tasks.
Rarely / Seldom (10%)
Barely; hardly ever
If you have a healthy lifestyle, you probably rarely drink alcohol or seldom miss a day of exercise. Reserve "rarely" for those things you almost never do.
- Families in this neighborhood can seldom afford rent.
- We rarely leave the house..
- The study rarely recorded shifts in the participants' habits.
Never (0%)
You just don't do it!
No way, nope, never! Use never for those things you have absolutely no time for! "Never" tells your listener your priorities, namely, what doesn't matter to you.
- It's never okay to tease others about their bodies.
- I never thought I'd visit Asia! (But I did.)
- We should never fight again.
Great review! For more on grammar and mechanics, try this playlist.
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