Adverb word order.

1.Frequency adverbs

Frequency adverbs tell us how often something happens: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, seldom, hardly ever, never. Seldom is less common in everyday conversation than rarely or hardly ever.

Their position depends on the verb:

Verb pattern	Usual position	Example
Main verb	Before the main verb	I usually drink water.
be	After be	I am often tired.
Helping verb + main verb	After the helping verb	I can usually swim. / I have always liked music.
Negative with don't/doesn't	After not, before the main verb	I don't usually watch TV. / I do not usually watch TV.

Never, rarely, seldom, and hardly ever already have a negative meaning. In standard English, do not add not: say I hardly ever watch TV, not I don't hardly ever watch TV.

For more frequency adverbs and frequency phrases such as every day and twice a week, see the Adverbs of frequency lesson.

2.Manner, place, and time

Adverbs of manner tell us how something happens: quickly, slowly, carefully, quietly, well. They usually go after the verb, or after the object when the verb has one:

• She sang beautifully.
• He opened the door carefully.

When manner, place, and time come together at the end of a clause, the usual neutral order is manner → place → time:

• She played quietly in her room after dinner.

Manner	Place	Time
quietly	in her room	after dinner

This table breaks the sentence into its three parts. If there is an object, keep it directly after the verb and before these adverbs: He finished his homework carefully at home last night.

You can also use only one or two of these parts: She sang beautifully at the concert. / He finished his homework carefully last night.

This is often called the manner–place–time pattern. Speakers can also put the time phrase first: Last night, he finished his homework carefully at home.

With movement verbs, a destination such as home, upstairs, or to the station usually stays close to the verb: She went home quickly. / They walked to the station slowly.

With only place and time, place usually comes first: at home in the morning. You can also combine this end pattern with a frequency adverb in the middle of the sentence.

Time can also go at the beginning: In the morning, I usually drink coffee at home.

3.Front, middle, and end positions

These three positions are useful for common A2 adverbs:

Position	Common use	Example
Front	A time phrase, or the adverbs usually, often, normally, and sometimes	Yesterday, we worked quietly at home. / Sometimes, we eat out.
Middle	Frequency adverbs, already, still, and words such as really	We have already eaten. / She is still working. / I really like it.
End	Manner, place, time, and yet	Manner: She sang beautifully. Place: We ate at home. Time: They left yesterday. Yet: I haven't finished yet.

Already and still normally follow be or a helping verb: She is already here. / They have already left. / He is still asleep. They go before a simple main verb: I already know. / We still need help.

Really, almost, just, and hardly often go in the middle, before the main verb: I really like it. / I almost forgot. / She just arrived. / I hardly know her.

Only goes immediately before the word or idea it limits. We only need two tickets means that we do not need more than two tickets; We need only two tickets focuses on the small number: two. Even also focuses attention on what follows it: Even Sam can swim (Sam is surprising) / Sam can even swim (swimming is surprising).

You can put sometimes, usually, often, or normally at the front for emphasis: Usually, I walk to school. / Often, we eat at home. Do not put always or never at the front in this simple pattern. Never can begin a different, formal structure with inversion: Never have I seen that before. You will learn this structure later.

Sometimes can also go at the end: I watch TV sometimes. Unlike always and never, it is common in this end position.

Use yet at the end of most questions and negative sentences: Have you finished yet? / I haven't finished yet.

4.Questions

In questions with do, does, or did, put the frequency adverb after the subject and before the main verb:

• Do you usually eat breakfast at home?
• Does she often walk to work?

With be, the frequency adverb also follows the subject: Are you usually tired after work? / Is she often late?

In a wh-question, the frequency adverb still goes after the subject: Where do you usually study? / Why does he rarely take the bus?

The same position applies in a negative question: Don't you usually eat breakfast? / Isn't she often late?

5.Common mistakes to avoid

Do not put a frequency adverb after the main verb when an object follows it:

Put a manner adverb after the object, not between the verb and its object: