A2-10 · A2 Waystage · 10 / 12

Adverbs of Frequency and Manner

  • Use frequency adverbs (always → never) and manner adverbs (-ly) in the correct word order.
  • TR: Sıklık zarflarını ve -ly ile yapılan durum zarflarını doğru sırada kullanmak.
  • Success check: describe your week with always, usually and never.
Start the 8-question quizAdapts to your answers · every miss links back to the rule

Rule in 60 secondsThe one pattern to memorise.

  • Frequency scale: always (100%) – usually – often – sometimes – rarely / seldom – hardly ever – never (0%).
  • Frequency position: before the main verb, after be: *She always drinks tea / She is always late.*
  • Manner = adjective + -ly: *quick → quickly, careful → carefully, slow → slowly.*
  • Manner position: after the verb (+ object): *He drives carefully / She speaks English well.*
  • TR: Sıklık zarfı fiilden önce, be'den sonra gelir: I always go / I am always tired. Durum zarfı fiilden sonra: He runs fast.
  • Double-check: find the verb first, then place the adverb.

FormsHow it looks in sentences.

PatternStructureExample
frequency + main verbsubj + frequency + verbI usually get up at 7.
frequency + besubj + be + frequencyThey are often late.
frequency + auxiliarysubj + aux + frequency + verbShe doesn't usually watch TV.
manner -lyadjective + -lyquick → quickly
manner + verbverb (+ object) + adverbHe speaks quietly.
irregular mannergood → well, fast → fast, hard → hardShe sings well.
  • Spelling: *easy → easily, happy → happily, terrible → terribly, basic → basically.*
  • Adjectives ending in -ly (friendly, lovely, lonely) are NOT adverbs — use "in a friendly way".
  • TR: easy → easily, happy → happily. friendly gibi -ly biten sıfatlar zarf değildir.
  • Frequency + time expressions can combine: *I usually play football on Sundays.*
  • Manner adverbs go before past participles/adjectives in formal position: *a well-known actor, a badly written text.*
  • Frequency in questions: *How often do you swim? — Twice a week / Every day.*
  • never + affirmative verb (no "not"): *She never smokes* (not "she doesn't never smoke").
  • TR: never olumlu fiille kullanılır: never + not yanlış. Sıklık sorusu: How often…?
  • How often: Twice a week and Every day answer frequency questions.

3 classic trapsWhere Turkish speakers slip.

  • Wrong frequency position: ❌ *I go always to school.* → ✅ *I always go to school.* (TR: Sıklık zarfı fiilden önce gelir.)
  • Adjective instead of adverb: ❌ *She drives careful.* → ✅ *She drives carefully.* (TR: Fiili niteleyen sözcük zarf olur: -ly.)
  • good vs well: ❌ *He speaks good English.* (as adverb) → ✅ *He speaks English well.* (TR: Fiilden sonra good değil well: speaks well.)

10 example sentencesRead aloud, twice.

  • I always have breakfast at home. — Her zaman evde kahvaltı yaparım.
  • She is never late for work. — İşe asla geç kalmaz.
  • They usually play football on Sundays. — Genelde pazar günleri futbol oynarlar.
  • He sometimes watches films in English. — Bazen İngilizce film izler.
  • We hardly ever eat fast food. — Neredeyse hiç fast food yemeyiz.
  • She speaks English fluently. — İngilizceyi akıcı konuşur.
  • He drives carefully in the rain. — Yağmurda dikkatli araba sürer.
  • The baby is sleeping quietly. — Bebek sessizce uyuyor.
  • She did well in the exam. — Sınavda iyi yaptı.
  • Please listen carefully to the instructions. — Lütfen talimatları dikkatle dinleyin.

Quick checkCover the answers, say yours first.

  • Q1: Put in order: "go / usually / I / to school / by bus."
  • Q2: Fill in: She dances ___ (beautiful).
  • Q3: Correct the error: *They are late always.*
  • Q4: Choose: "He plays tennis ___." (good / well)
  • Q5: True or false: "She hardly ever drinks coffee" means she drinks coffee often.
  • Q6: Rewrite with the adverb in the correct place: "She goes always by bus."

<summary>Answers</summary> - A1: I usually go to school by bus. - A2: beautifully - A3: They are always late. (be + frequency) - A4: well - A5: False — hardly ever = almost never. - A6: She always goes by bus.

SourcesKeep reading.