Adverbs of frequency
(a) always, continually, frequently, occasionally, often, once, twice, periodically, repeatedly, sometimes, usually etc.
(b) ever, hardly ever, never, rarely, scarcely ever, seldom
-----------------------------------------------
Adverbs of frequency
A
Adverbs in both the above groups are normally placed:
1- After the simple tenses of to be:
He is always in time for meals.
2- Before the simple tenses of all other verbs:
They sometimes stay up all night.
3- With compound tenses, they are placed after the first auxiliary, or, with interrogative verbs, after auxiliary + subject:
He can never understand.
You have often been told not to do that. Have you ever ridden a camel?
Exceptions
(a) used to and have to prefer the adverb in front of them:
You hardly ever have to remind him; he always remembers.
(b) Frequency adverbs are often placed before auxiliaries when these c are used alone, in additions to remarks or in answers to questions:
Can you park your car near the shops? - Yes, I usually can.
I know I should take exercise, but I never do.
and when, in a compound verb, the auxiliary is stressed:
I never 'can remember. She hardly ever 'has met him.
Similarly when do is added for emphasis:
I always do arrive in time!
But emphasis can also be given by stressing the frequency adverb and leaving it in its usual position after the auxiliary:
You should 'always check your oil before starling.
---------------------------------------------------
Adverbs of frequency
B
Adverbs in group (a) above can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence or clause, Exceptions
always is rarely found at the beginning of a sentence/clause except with imperatives.
often, if put at the end, normally requires very or quite:
Often he walked. He walked quite often.
-----------------------------------------------------
C
Adverbs in group (b) above, hardly ever, never, rarely etc. (but not ever alone), can also be put at the beginning of a sentence, but inversion of the following main verb then becomes necessary:
Hardly/Scarcely ever did they manage to meet unobserved. (For hardly, barely, scarcely) hardly/scarcely ever, never, rarely and seldom are not used with negative verbs.
-----------------------------------------------------
D
never, ever
never is chiefly used with an affirmative verb, never with a negative. It normally means 'at no time':
He never saw her again.
I've never eaten snails.
They never eat meat. (habit)
I've never had a better/light.
never + affirmative can sometimes replace an ordinary negative:
I waited but he never fumed up. (He didn't turn up.)
never + interrogative can be used to express the speaker's surprise at the non-performance of an action:
Has he never been to Japan? I'm surprised, because his wife is Japanese.
ever means 'at any time' and is chiefly used in the interrogative:
Has he ever marched in a demonstration? ~ No, he never has.
ever can be used with a negative verb and, especially with compound tenses, can often replace never + affirmative:
I haven't ever eaten snails.
This use of ever is less common with simple tenses.
ever + affirmative is possible in comparisons and with suppositions and expressions of doubt:
I don't suppose he ever writes to his mother
ليست هناك تعليقات: