Adverbials Of Frequency

The commonest adverbials of frequency are:


We usually put these one-word adverbials of frequency in front of the main verb:

We often spend Christmas with friends.
I have never enjoyed myself so much.

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but they usually come after the verb be:

He was always tired in the evening.
We are never late for work.

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Sometimes these adverbials have an intensifier or mitigator:

He is very rarely late for work.
We nearly always spend Christmas with friends.

We use the adverbial a lot to mean often or frequently. It comes at the end of the clause:

We go to the cinema a lot.

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We can also use a lot with another time adverbial:

We go to the cinema a lot at the weekend.

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We use much/a lot with a negative to mean not often:

We don't go out much/a lot.
We don't go out often.

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We often use phrases with every as adverbials of frequency. We use every with words like minute · hour · day · week · month · year:

There is a big celebration every year.
We have a meeting twice every week.
I usually go home once every two months.
There is a leap year every four years.

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We also use every with days of the week and months of the year:

We have a meeting every Monday.
We go on holiday every August.

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We use the phrase every other:

We will email you every other day. ➲ on alternate days
We go to see my mother every other week. ➲ in alternate weeks

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We use phrases with once · twice · three times · four times · etc. and a period of time:

I go swimming twice a week.
I see my old school friends four or five times a year.

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We use how often and ever to ask questions about frequency. how often comes at the beginning of the clause:

How often do you go to the cinema?
How often have you been here?

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ever comes before the main verb:

Do you ever go to the cinema at the weekend?
Have you ever been there?

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