Learn the correct placement of adverbs in sentences like I always eat breakfast.
Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action happens. They are essential in the simple present tense to talk about habits and routines.
Examples:
– always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, neverAlways:
Happens 100% of the time. I always eat breakfast.Usually:
Happens most of the time. She usually walks to work.Sometimes:
Happens occasionally. They sometimes go out on weekends.Never:
Doesn’t happen at all. He never drinks coffee.Always:
I always arrive early.Usually:
We usually eat dinner at 7 PM.Sometimes:
She sometimes forgets her keys.Rarely:
They rarely watch TV.Never:
He never skips his workout.Adverbs of frequency are typically placed before the main verb but after the verb 'to be'.
Before the main verb:
They always finish their homework.After the verb 'to be':
She is often tired after work.Incorrect placement:
❌ She eats always breakfast. ✔️ She always eats breakfast.Forgetting subject-verb agreement:
❌ He never go to school. ✔️ He never goes to school.Rules for Using Adverbs in Sentences
Place adverbs of frequency before the main verb.
I always eat breakfast. They usually arrive on time.Place adverbs after the verb 'to be'.
She is sometimes late. We are often busy.Special Cases & Exceptions:
For emphasis, adverbs can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence.
Example | Description |
---|---|
always | Placed before the main verb: <em>I <strong>always</strong> eat breakfast.</em> |
usually | Placed before the main verb: <em>He <strong>usually</strong> walks to work.</em> |
sometimes | Placed before the main verb or at the start of the sentence: <em><strong>Sometimes</strong> they go out.</em> |
rarely | Placed before the main verb: <em>We <strong>rarely</strong> watch TV.</em> |
never | Placed before the main verb: <em>She <strong>never</strong> eats meat.</em> |
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