Adverbs of Frequency

1 Unit5 Adverbs of Frequency148 Discover the GrammarRead the conversation between a university student and a reporter who is talking about her job,and then answer the five 23456789101112131415 Reporter:So, Lily, you re majoring in journalism, right?Student: Yes, that s correct. I m graduating next June, and I m looking forjobs :Well, it s nevertoo early to do that!Student: I know! So I d like to ask you a few questions about what it s like towork for a :Sure, go : Well, my first question is a basic one. Do you pretty much do thesame thing every day?Reporter:No, not really. I rarelydo the same thing from one day to the next. Student: Could you explain that a little bit more?Reporter:Well, I mean that I alwayshave a story that I m working on, but thestories are always different, so I never see the same people.

2 I visit different people, go to different places, and do many different job has a lot of 12/19/11 9:42 AM Page 148 Clear Grammar 2, 2nd edition: Keys to Grammar for English Language Learners Keith S. Folse Michigan ELT, 2012 Copyright (c) 2012. University of Michigan Press. All rights reserved. 5: Adverbs of Frequency1491491617181920212223242526272 8293031323334 Student: How often are you in your office?Reporter:Well .. some of the time .. I mean, my computer is there, andthat s where I write my stories, but sometimes I go interview peoplein their homes or offices. Actually, I spend a lot of time in my cargoing to and from : How do you stay in touch with the newspaper then?Reporter:Oh, I always take my cell phone with : Do you usuallyhave a laptop with you, too?

3 Reporter:No. I don t like to use a laptop when I m interviewing. I sometimestake notes on paper, but I usually use a little voice recorder. Then Itype my stories as soon as I get back to the :So you don t use email much?Reporter:Oh, yes, I do. I always check my email before I leave home in themorning, again when I get to the office, before and after lunch, andagain before I go home in the : Wow, that s a lot! Do you check your email on weekends, too?Reporter:Yes, I usually check my email on weekends. I will answer personalemails, but I have a rule that I never answer business emails on theweekend or a holiday. 1. Look at the five underlined words in the conversation. These words are calledadverbs of frequencybecause they tell us how frequent an action is.

4 Study themeaning of these Frequency words, and then write these five words in the them in order from the most frequent (all of the time) to the least frequent(not at any time).Most FrequentLeast Frequent 100% of the time 50% of the time 0% of the time CG2-1-12 12/19/11 9:42 AM Page 149 Clear Grammar 2, 2nd edition: Keys to Grammar for English Language Learners Keith S. Folse Michigan ELT, 2012 Copyright (c) 2012. University of Michigan Press. All rights reserved. Clear Grammar 2, Locate the three sentences that include the word never. Write the line number ofthose sentences. Then circle the order of the subject, verb, and Ordera. _____b. _____c. _____S + V + neverOR S + never + VS + V + neverOR S + never + VS + V + neverOR S + never + V3.

5 Locate the four sentences that include the word always. Write the line number ofthose sentences. Then circle the order of the subject, verb, and Ordera. _____b. _____c. _____d. _____S + V+ alwaysORS + always + VS + V+ alwaysORS + always + VS + V+ alwaysORS + always + VS + V+ alwaysOR S + always + on your answers for Questions 2 and 3, where do you think these adverbsof Frequency usually appear in a sentence? Does the verb matter? of these Frequency words can come before the subject. Can you find anexample of the Frequency word that can come before the subject?LineFrequency Word SubjectVerbCG2-1-12 12/19/11 9:42 AM Page 150 Clear Grammar 2, 2nd edition: Keys to Grammar for English Language Learners Keith S. Folse Michigan ELT, 2012 Copyright (c) 2012.

6 University of Michigan Press. All rights reserved. Grammar Lesson Adverbs of Frequency5: Adverbs of Frequency151151always usuallyoftensometimeshardly everrarelyseldomnever x xxxxxx all of the timemost of the timemuch of the timesome of the timealmost nevernot at any time100%0%Placement of Adverbs of Frequency in a Sentenceafter be: be + frequencybefore other verbs: Frequency + VERBI amalwayshungry when I first wake isusuallylate to areoftenthe first to arrive at amsometimesshy around new peopleCarlos israrelyabsent from and Ana areseldomon areneverat school after 5 alwaysusea pencil in math usuallygoesto school by teacher sometimesplaytennis at seldomfaila nevereata big with Adverbs of FrequencyA: Do you evertake a bus to work?B: Yes, but not usually.

7 I prefer to drivemy own car when I : Do you take a bus to work atany time? The answer is probably yes orno with an adverb of : How oftendo you take a bus to work?B: Maybe once or twice a : How many times during acertain period of time do you take a bus?The answer is probably a number with aperiod of time.}CG2-1-12 12/19/11 9:42 AM Page 151 Clear Grammar 2, 2nd edition: Keys to Grammar for English Language Learners Keith S. Folse Michigan ELT, 2012 Copyright (c) 2012. University of Michigan Press. All rights reserved. Rule of Frequency are words that tell how often something happens: always,usually, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, a sentence, an adverb of Frequency usually comes after bebut before otherverbs. When a verb has two parts (has eaten), the adverb of Frequency occurs betweenthe two parts (has never eaten).

8 Rule word sometimescan occur in all three places: in front of a sentence, in themiddle of a sentence, or at the end of a we practice practice practice ask about the Frequency of an action, use ever or How often:Do you everplay golf? How often do you play golf?Rule Adverbs of Frequency such as rarely, seldom,andnevershould be usedwith an affirmative verb. Double negatives are not CAREFUL! Clear Grammar 2, Learner ErrorsExplanation1. We usually areare usuallythe firstpeople to arrive at work each of Frequency usually come afterthe verb It takes usuallyusually takesme onlyten minutes to make a tuna of Frequency usually comebefore verbs (other than be). price of gas never has beenhasnever beenas high as it is a verb has two parts (is using, hasused), Adverbs of Frequency usually comebetween the two I don t nevernevertext while negatives are not 12/19/11 9:42 AM Page 152 Clear Grammar 2, 2nd edition: Keys to Grammar for English Language Learners Keith S.

9 Folse Michigan ELT, 2012 Copyright (c) 2012. University of Michigan Press. All rights reserved. EXERCISE 1. The Meanings of Adverbs of Frequency Fill in the blanks with the correct Adverbs of of of the time 2. _____most of the time3. _____much of the time4. _____some of the time 5. _____almost never6. _____almost never7. _____almost never8. _____not at anytimeEXERCISE 2. Understanding Adverbs of Frequency Read each situation, and then answer the Jorge usually does his homework. Raul always does his homework. Diego neverdoes his homework. Who is the best student? _____2. The weather in Florida is rarely cold. It is sometimes cold in Mississippi. It is usually cold in Alaska. If you don t like cold weather, which state might be agood place for you to live?

10 _____3. Nedra seldom walks to work. Carol often walks to work. Betty walks to worksometimes. Who might drive to work more than walk there? _____4. I usually put sugar in my coffee. Rich sometimes puts sugar in his tea. Gabriellealways puts sugar on her cereal. Who uses sugar the most frequently? _____5. My grandmother sometimes takes a walk after dinner. My brother always runs fivemiles every morning. I hardly ever exercise. Who gets the most exercise? rarely watches American television. Ivan usually listens to public radio inEnglish. Nadia seldom sees English movies. Nadine prefers to talk to her friends inher native language. Who probably hears the most English in a day? is seldom late to work. Adam is usually late to work. steve is rarely late towork.