Words like always, usually, often, sometimes, never say how often. Put them before the main verb. With am, is, are, put them after.
How often: always, usually, sometimes
She always arrives on time.
I sometimes go jogging in the park.
They are usually busy on Mondays.
Not "She arrives always on time." — say "She always arrives on time.". A how-often word goes before the verb: She always arrives, not arrives always.
Try it: Which sentence puts the how-often word in the right place? (She always arrives on time. / She arrives always on time. / Always she arrives on time.) Answer: She always arrives on time. — A how-often word like always goes right before the main verb: She always arrives. It does not go after the verb (arrives always) or before the person (Always she arrives).
How much each word means
Each how-often word means a different amount of time. Line them up from most to least: always = 100% (every time) · usually = about 90% (almost every time) · often = about 70% (many times) · sometimes = about 50% (some times, not most) · never = 0% (no time, not once).
always (100%): I always lock the door — every single time.
usually (~90%): She usually walks to work, but now and then she takes the bus.
often (~70%): We often eat rice, but not every day.
sometimes (~50%): He sometimes plays football on the weekend.
never (0%): They never eat meat — not once.
Not "I sometimes brush my teeth every single morning." — say "I always brush my teeth every single morning.". always = 100% (every time); sometimes = about 50% (some times, not most). Every single morning is always, not sometimes.
Try it: Yuki eats breakfast every single morning, with no exceptions. Yuki ___ eats breakfast. (always / sometimes / never) Answer: always — Always means 100% — every time, with no exceptions. Sometimes means about 50% (some mornings, not most), and never means 0% (not one morning).
Try it: On the how-often scale, which word means MORE often? (usually (~90%) is more often than sometimes (~50%) / sometimes (~50%) is more often than usually (~90%) / never (0%) is more often than often (~70%)) Answer: usually (~90%) is more often than sometimes (~50%) — From most to least: always (100%), usually (~90%), often (~70%), sometimes (~50%), never (0%). So usually happens more often than sometimes, and never (0%) is the least of all.
How: after the verb
Words that tell how you do something, like carefully, quickly, well, go after the verb. If the verb names a thing or person it acts on, the how-word goes after that too: reads the instructions carefully.
He speaks Spanish fluently.
She reads the instructions carefully.
She sings beautifully.
Not "He speaks fluently Spanish." — say "He speaks Spanish fluently.". Do not put the how-word between the verb and its object: speak Spanish fluently.
Try it: She reads ___ before she starts. (the instructions carefully / carefully the instructions / the carefully instructions) Answer: the instructions carefully — A how-word goes after the verb and the thing it acts on: reads the instructions carefully. It does not go before that thing (carefully the instructions) or inside it (the carefully instructions).
Making how-words: add -ly
To make many how-words, add -ly to the describing word: careful → carefully, slow → slowly, quiet → quietly. Watch out for words ending in -y: they change to -ily: easy → easily, happy → happily. Words ending in -le change to -ly: gentle → gently, terrible → terribly.
He drives carefully.
She sings beautifully.
They finished the work easily.
Not "She sings beautiful." — say "She sings beautifully.". To tell how she sings, add -ly: beautifully, not beautiful.
Try it: They finished the project ___. (easily / easy / easyly) Answer: easily — To tell how they finished it, use the how-word: easily. "Easy" is the describing word, as in an easy project, and "easyly" forgets that easy ends in -y, which changes to easily.
well, fast, hard
A few how-words do not add -ly. Learn these: good → well. And fast and hard stay the same, with no -ly. Careful: hardly is a different word. It means almost not at all, so He works hard and He hardly works mean opposite things.
She speaks English well.
He runs fast.
They work hard every day.
Not "She speaks English good." — say "She speaks English well.". To tell how she speaks, use well, not good.
Try it: Hiroshi runs very ___. (fast / fastly / quick) Answer: fast — To tell how Hiroshi runs, use fast, which stays the same with no -ly. "Fastly" is not a word, and "quick" is the describing word, so the how-word would be quickly.
Try it: She sings ___ and she plays the guitar very ___. (beautifully … well / beautiful … good / beautifully … good) Answer: beautifully … well — To tell how she sings, add -ly: beautifully. For doing something skillfully, the how-word is well, not good. Good and beautiful are describing words, while the how-words are well and beautifully.