Adverbs of manner
These adverbs are used to say how the action of the verb is carried out.
1. Common adverbs of manner include: accurately, badly, carefully, patiently, straight, well.
They usually come in the middle of the sentence, after the main verb. If the verb has an object, the adverb comes with the object.
He spokes (the words) clearly.
She went straight to the house.
2. Prepositional phrases may also be used adverbially to answer the question How?
I ordered the book over the Internet.
He shouted in a loud voice.
Adverbs of indefinite frequency
1. These adverbs are used to talk about how often we do things. We can put them in order from most often to least often like this:
– always
– almost always
– generally /normally /regularly /usually
– frequently /often
– sometimes
– occasionally
– almost never /hardly ever /rarely /seldom
– not … ever /never.
2. In statements and questions, these adverbs come:
– after be when it is the only verb in the sentence
I am always a bit depressed in winter.
– after the first auxiliary verb when there is more than one verb
I have often seen her walking here.
– before the main verb when there is only one verb
We sometimes watch a video on Friday evenings.
– in questions, after the subject
Don’t you usually work with Jenny?
3. In negative sentences, not comes before always, generally, normally, often, regularly and usually.
We don’t often see him nowadays.
4. Always and never come at the beginning with imperatives.
Always look on the bright side of life.
Never refuse an opportunity.
Adverbs of definite frequency
1. These are common adverbs of definite frequency:
– once
– twice
– five times
– several times
– every day /week /month /month /morning /afternoon /evening
– every three /couple of /few years
– on Monday /Wednesday /weekdays etc.
2. These adverbs usually come at the end of the sentence:
I phone my sister several times a day.
He goes jogging every morning.
They go abroad every few years.
They may come at the beginning for emphasis.
Several times a month I go to the cinema.