Always, Usually, Sometimes, Never

What you’ll learn

Say how often something happens and place common frequency adverbs correctly.

ប្រាប់ថាសកម្មភាពកើតឡើងញឹកញាប់ប៉ុណ្ណា និងដាក់ adverbs of frequency ក្នុងទីតាំងត្រឹមត្រូវ។

Meaning and use

Frequency adverbs tell us how often something happens. Always means every time; never means at no time. Usually, often, and sometimes describe habits between those extremes without giving an exact percentage. Put these adverbs before most main verbs: I usually walk. Put them after be: She is always kind. Sometimes can also appear at the start or end of a sentence. Never already has a negative meaning, so do not normally combine it with don’t or doesn’t in standard English.

Adverbs of frequency ប្រាប់ពីភាពញឹកញាប់។ Always មានន័យថារាល់លើក ហើយ never មានន័យថាមិនដែល។ ជាទូទៅដាក់ពាក្យទាំងនេះនៅមុខកិរិយាសព្ទមេ ប៉ុន្តែនៅក្រោយ be។ Never មានន័យបដិសេធរួចហើយ ដូច្នេះមិនត្រូវបន្ថែម don’t ឬ doesn’t ទៀតក្នុងភាសាអង់គ្លេសស្តង់ដារទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Common frequency words	always → usually → often → sometimes → never
Before an ordinary main verb	I usually walk to school.
After be	She is always kind.
Sometimes can start a sentence	Sometimes I take the bus.
Frequency phrase, often at the end	We study English every day.

Examples

1. I always brush my teeth in the morning.

   ខ្ញុំដុសធ្មេញរាល់ព្រឹក។

2. We usually walk to school.

   ជាទូទៅយើងដើរទៅសាលារៀន។

3. She is often busy.

   នាងរវល់ញឹកញាប់។

4. He never drinks coffee.

   គាត់មិនដែលផឹកកាហ្វេទេ។

Everyday conversation

Dara: How often do you walk to school?

Maly: I usually walk.

Dara: Do you ever take the bus?

Maly: Yes, sometimes.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
She is always be kind.	She is always kind.	Is already supplies the form of be. Put always after is; do not add another be.
He doesn’t never drink coffee.	He never drinks coffee.	In standard English, never already gives the negative meaning; use the positive verb form drinks here.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Put usually in the neutral position: I walk to school.
2. Put often in the neutral position: She is busy.
3. Correct in standard English: He doesn’t never eat fish.
4. Which means every time: always or sometimes?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. I usually walk to school.

   Put usually before the ordinary main verb walk.

2. She is often busy.

   Put often after be.

3. He never eats fish.

   Use never with the positive present-simple form eats.

4. always

   Sometimes means on some occasions, not every time.

Quick recap

• Put frequency adverbs before most ordinary main verbs.
• Put them after be in the usual neutral pattern.
• Use never without an extra don’t or doesn’t in standard English.