Adverbs of Frequency: Definition and Examples

An adverb of frequency describes how often something happens. It provides information about the regularity or frequency of an action. Adverbs of frequency are used to indicate whether an action occurs all the time, often, sometimes, rarely, or never.

Definition of an Adverb of Frequency

An adverb of frequency tells us how often something happens. It describes how regularly or irregularly an action occurs. For example, if you say "She always wakes up early," "always" is the adverb of frequency showing that she wakes up early every day. Other examples include "often," "sometimes," "rarely," and "never." These words help us understand whether something happens all the time, most of the time, occasionally, infrequently, or not at all.

Adverb of Frequency Examples

Here are some examples of adverbs of frequency used in sentences:

• Always: She always goes to the gym on Mondays.

• Usually: He usually eats breakfast at 7 AM.

• Often: They often visit their grandparents on weekends.

• Rarely: She rarely eats fast food.

• Never: He never forgets to call his mom on her birthday.

• Always: She always wakes up early in the morning.

• Usually: They usually have dinner at 7 PM.

• Often: We often go to the beach on weekends.

• Frequently: He frequently visits his grandparents.

• Regularly: She regularly goes to the gym after work.

• Sometimes: Sometimes I like to read a book before bed.

• Seldom: He seldom eats fast food.

• Rarely: They rarely watch TV.

• Hardly: She hardly ever drinks soda.

• Never: I never skip my morning coffee.

• Daily: The mail arrives daily.

• Weekly: She has a weekly meeting with her team.

• Monthly: We visit the dentist monthly.

• Yearly: They take a vacation yearly.

• Every day: He exercises every day.

• Every week: She calls her friend every week.

• Every month: The company sends out newsletters every month.

• Every year: They celebrate Christmas every year.

• Twice a week: I clean the house twice a week.

• Three times a month: They go out for dinner three times a month.

• Four times a year: We travel to different cities four times a year.

• Once a week: She attends a cooking class once a week.

• Once a day: He checks his email once a day.

• Once a month: They have a team lunch once a month.

• Twice a month: I visit my aunt twice a month.

• Once every two weeks: She gets a haircut once every two weeks.

• Occasionally: We occasionally go to the cinema.

• Almost never: He almost never eats sweets.

• Seldom: They seldom go out on weekdays.

Adverb of Frequency Examples Sentences:

Here are different examples of adverbs of frequency in sentences:

1. Always: She always remembers to call her grandmother.

2. Usually: I usually go to bed by 10 PM.

3. Often: They often dine out on weekends.

4. Frequently: He frequently updates his blog.

5. Regularly: She regularly checks her mail.

6. Occasionally: We occasionally go to the beach in summer.

7. Seldom: They seldom watch TV during weekdays.

8. Rarely: She rarely eats fast food.

9. Hardly ever: He hardly ever misses his morning run.

10. Never: She never forgets her appointments.

11. Daily: The students practice their instruments daily.

12. Weekly: The team meets weekly to discuss projects.

13. Monthly: The magazine is published monthly.

14. Yearly: They take a family trip yearly.

15. Every day: He drinks water every day.

16. Every week: She reviews her goals every week.

17. Every month: They check their savings every month.

18. Every year: We celebrate our anniversary every year.

19. Twice a week: She goes to the gym twice a week.

20. Three times a month: He visits the dentist three times a month.

21. Four times a year: They attend workshops four times a year.

22. Once a week: He does laundry once a week.

23. Once a day: She takes her medication once a day.

24. Once a month: They have a family game night once a month.

25. Twice a month: He goes for a walk twice a month.

26. Once every two weeks: She gets her hair done once every two weeks.

27. Occasionally: He occasionally takes a long weekend off.

28. Seldom: She seldom shops online.

List of Adverbs of Frequency

Check your Understanding of Adverbs of Frequency

1. What does the adverb "always" indicate?

2. How often does "often" occur?

3. What is the difference between "rarely" and "seldom"?

4. Which adverb suggests an action happens at consistent intervals?

5. How frequently does "sometimes" occur?

6. What does "never" mean in terms of frequency?

7. How often does "occasionally" occur?

8. If something happens "twice a week," how often does it occur?

9. What does "daily" imply?

10. Which adverb means something happens once every two weeks?

11. How often does "monthly" occur?

12. What adverb would you use for something that happens once a year?

Find Out if you got them All Right from the Answers Below.

1. "Always" indicates that an action happens 100% of the time.

2. "Often" suggests that an action happens frequently, but not all the time.

3. "Rarely" means something happens infrequently, while "seldom" is similar but can imply a slightly less frequent occurrence.

4. An adverb like "regularly" or "frequently" suggests an action happens at consistent intervals.

5. "Sometimes" indicates that an action occurs occasionally, not regularly but with some frequency.

6. "Never" means an action does not happen at any time.

7. "Occasionally" means an action happens now and then, but not often.

8. If something happens "twice a week," it occurs two times within each week.

9. "Daily" implies that an action happens every day.

10. An adverb like "biweekly" means something happens once every two weeks.

11. "Monthly" indicates that an action occurs once a month.

12. An adverb like "annually" would be used for something that happens once a year.

Take Away from the Page:

• Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action occurs.

• They range from "always" (100% of the time) to "never" (0% of the time).

• Common examples include "often," "rarely," "sometimes," and "usually."

• Placement in a sentence is typically before the main verb but after the verb "to be."

• Understanding these adverbs helps convey the regularity and consistency of actions.