Why put the adverb first?
Sometimes, usually and often answer “how often?”. When one of these words comes first, it immediately frames the whole message: what we describe next happens sometimes, usually or often.
Initial position can make the frequency more noticeable or help introduce a new point in a story. The frequency itself does not change: Sometimes I walk home and I sometimes walk home can describe the same fact.
Sometimes / Usually / Often + subject + verb ...
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
Sometimes I walk home.
Sometimes I walk home.
Sometimes immediately shows that this happens on only some occasions.
Usually we eat at seven.
Usually we eat at seven.
Usually establishes the typical pattern before the subject we.
Word order after an initial adverb
After sometimes, usually or often in an ordinary statement, put the subject and then the verb. An initial adverb does not turn the sentence into a question, so there is no inversion: Often Maya calls, not Often calls Maya.
The verb keeps its normal form. With he, she or it in the Present Simple, add -s; a form of be agrees with the subject and also follows it.
Adverb + subject + main verb / be
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- adverb —
- A word adding information about an action, quality or circumstance: slowly, very, often.
Often Nina calls her sister.
Often Nina calls her sister.
The subject Nina follows often, and calls has the ending -s.
Usually I am at home in the evening.
Usually I am at home in the evening.
With be, normal statement order remains: I am, without reversing it to am I.
Sometimes the buses are late.
Sometimes the buses are late.
The plural subject the buses needs are.
Three different frequency meanings
Sometimes means “on some occasions”, often means “many times”, and usually means “in most cases” or “typically”. These are relative words: none has one fixed percentage for all people and situations.
Choose the word for the idea you want to express. For something that happens only from time to time, use sometimes; for something repeated many times, use often; for the typical pattern, use usually.
Sometimes I take a taxi.
Sometimes I take a taxi.
A taxi is one possibility, but not the usual choice every time.
Often the café is busy after six.
Often the café is busy after six.
The situation occurs repeatedly.
Usually our lesson starts at nine.
Usually our lesson starts at nine.
Nine is the usual starting time, although exceptions are possible.
Initial and mid position
For sometimes, usually and often, both initial and mid positions can be grammatical. Mid position is very common in neutral conversation: I usually cook at home. This rule practises another acceptable choice: Usually I cook at home.
Sometimes naturally and frequently appears at the beginning. Usually also works easily in initial position, especially when the speaker describes a typical pattern. Initial often is possible, but this is its least common position and can sound more formal.
Sometimes I read on the bus.
Sometimes I read on the bus.
Initial sometimes naturally introduces one of the possible occasions.
I sometimes read on the bus.
I sometimes read on the bus.
Mid position is also correct and expresses the same basic frequency.
Often people wait here for the bus.
Often people wait here for the bus.
Initial often is grammatical, but sounds slightly more formal than People often wait here.
Affirmative and negative statements
Initial sometimes, usually and often can frame both affirmative and negative statements. In a negative statement, form the usual do not, does not or be + not after the subject.
A comma is often unnecessary after a short initial adverb: Usually we start at nine. In writing, you can add a comma for a pause or emphasis: Usually, we start at nine. This material accepts both forms of punctuation unless punctuation is an explicitly specified target.
Sometimes I do not eat breakfast.
Sometimes I do not eat breakfast.
Sometimes applies to the whole negative message; do not follows I.
Usually we are not busy on Sundays.
Usually we are not busy on Sundays.
After the subject we, the form of be remains are, and not makes the statement negative.
Often the buses do not arrive on time.
Often the buses do not arrive on time.
Initial often is acceptable; the plural subject requires do not.
Limits: always and never
In a neutral simple statement or question, we do not normally put always or never before the subject. We say I always check my email, I never drive to work and Do you always cook at home? This is a useful contrast with the target words sometimes, usually and often.
This is not an absolute ban in every construction. Always naturally begins an imperative or instruction: Always check the address. Formal initial never is possible with inversion, for example Never have I seen ..., but that construction is beyond A1. We do not build it here or apply Never + subject + verb to simple statements.
I always check the time.
I always check the time.
In a neutral statement, always comes between the subject and the main verb.
Always check the address.
Always check the address.
This is an imperative without an expressed subject, so initial always is natural here.
I never take the late bus.
I never take the late bus.
At A1, we use the normal mid position of never.
Using the rule in your own speech
First decide which frequency is true for your message. Then put sometimes, usually or often first, name the subject, and finish the ordinary sentence. Check that you have not reversed the subject and verb and that be or the -s ending agrees correctly.
Start with short true or invented facts about work, transport, food or free time. Then combine several sentences so that sometimes shows an exception, usually a typical pattern, and often frequent repetition.
Choose the meaning → initial adverb → subject → ordinary statement
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- adverb —
- A word adding information about an action, quality or circumstance: slowly, very, often.
Usually I work at home, but sometimes I go to the office.
Usually I work at home, but sometimes I go to the office.
Two initial adverbs contrast a typical pattern with an exception.
Often my friends cook together.
Often my friends cook together.
Initial often is followed by the full subject my friends and then the verb cook.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Usually cooks Mia dinner at home.
Correct:Usually Mia cooks dinner at home.
An initial frequency adverb does not cause inversion in this kind of statement: usually must be followed by the subject Mia and then the verb cooks.
Incorrect:Sometimes I walks to work.
Correct:Sometimes I walk to work.
Initial adverb position does not change agreement: I needs the base form walk.
Incorrect:Often my friends is late.
Correct:Often my friends are late.
The plural subject my friends needs are; initial often does not affect the form of be.
Incorrect:Never I take the bus.
Correct:I never take the bus.
In an ordinary A1 statement, never comes in mid position. Initial never without the required formal inversion is ungrammatical here.