要表达某件事发生的频率,需要两样东西:正确的词,以及正确的位置。人们通常在位置上出错。
频率量表
| 副词 | 大致频率 | 备注 |
|---|---|---|
| always | 100% | |
| almost always | 95% | |
| usually / normally | 90% | normally语气略中性一些 |
| often / frequently | 70% | frequently更正式 |
| sometimes | 50% | |
| occasionally | 30% | |
| rarely / seldom | 10% | seldom比较书面化 |
| hardly ever | 5% | 口语中出现频率很高 |
| never | 0% |
Hardly ever值得好好记住:意思是「几乎从不」,在口语中出现的频率比听起来书面化的seldom高得多。
它们放在哪里
放在实义动词前面:
I always drink coffee in the morning.
She never eats breakfast.
放在「be」动词后面:
He is always late.(不是always is)
They are usually here by nine.
放在助动词和实义动词之间:
I have often wondered about that.
You should always check the date.
一句话记住规则——放在实义动词前面,但放在「be」和第一个助动词的后面。
在否定句中,副词放在「don't」后面
这里很容易出错:感觉规则好像反过来了。
- ✅ I don't usually work on Fridays.
- ❌ I usually don't work on Fridays.(能听懂,但不是自然的语序)
有些可以移到句子边缘,有些不行
Sometimes, usually, often, occasionally可以为了强调而移到句首或句尾:
- ✅ Sometimes I walk to work.
- ✅ I walk to work sometimes.
Always, never, rarely和hardly ever做不到这一点——在普通句子里,应该把它们留在句子中间。
- ❌ Never I go there.
- ✅ I never go there.
Never本身已经是否定
❌ I don't never go there. ✅ I never go there.
英语不使用双重否定。Never一个词就完成了全部的否定工作。rarely、seldom和hardly ever也是如此——它们都不能和don't连用。
长表达移到句子边缘
像every day, once a week, twice a month, from time to time这样的短语行为不一样——它们放在句首或句尾,但不放在句子中间。
✅ I go swimming twice a week. ✅ Every morning, she walks the dog. ❌ I twice a week go swimming.
构成方式:once / twice / three times + a day, a week, a month, a year。请注意:说once和twice,而不是「one time」或「two times」,但从三开始就要用three times a week这样的形式。
如何提问
- How often do you travel for work?
- —— About once a month. / Hardly ever.
闲聊的话题里,几乎处处都是频率
A: How often do you go to the gym?
B: Two or three times a week, usually. You?
A: Hardly ever, to be honest. I sometimes walk instead.
B: That counts! I never walk anywhere.
请注意:usually放在句尾,hardly ever放在句子中间,never放在实义动词前面——短短一段对话里就出现了全部三种位置。
自我检测
下面的测验主要考查位置——分数往往就是在这里丢掉的。