Rules of Adverbs of Frequency

Here are the key rules for using adverbs of frequency in your sentences:

Placement:

• One Verb: If the sentence has only one verb (not including helping verbs like “be,” “has,” or “do”), the adverb of frequency typically goes after the subject and before the main verb. For example: “She often exercises in the morning.”

• Helping Verbs: When there’s more than one verb (including helping verbs), the adverb of frequency usually goes between the auxiliary verb and the main verb. For example: “We have never visited that country.” “He doesn’t usually eat sweets.”

• “Be” Verb: With the verb “to be,” adverbs of frequency generally go after the verb. For example: “They are always on time.” “This is rarely necessary.”

Emphasis:

• Some adverbs of frequency can be placed at the beginning or end of the sentence for emphasis. This is most common with “sometimes,” “often,” “rarely,” and “never.” For example: “Sometimes, I question my choices.” “We travel abroad often.” “He never forgets a birthday.”

Choosing the Right Adverb:

The best adverb depends on how often something happens.

• Always and never express strong certainty and should be used cautiously, especially in essays where exceptions might exist.
• Usually suggests something happens most of the time.
• Often suggests something happens frequently.
• Sometimes something happens occasionally.
• Rarely and seldom suggest something happens infrequently.

Adverbs of frequency are a great way to add sophistication and nuance to your IELTS essays. They help you indicate how often something happens which can strengthen your arguments and make your writing more precise. It can be used throughout all sections of your IELTS essay but they are most effective in the body paragraphs.

The key is to use adverbs of frequency strategically to enhance your arguments and demonstrate clear and precise language in your IELTS essay.

In this article, You will get what is adverbs of frequency, their examples, a list of adverbs of frequency, and their Rules and Tips for using adverbs of Frequency in an IELTS essay.