Adverbs of Frequency for Elementary Students of English

Adverbs of frequency are a really a complicated grammar. Even though many textbooks teach these words very early on, their usage is not simple and there are many exceptions to the rules. But as I have to present it to elementary students, I try to keep them as simple as possible and I keep all the exceptions secret. (Sorry kids 🙂 )

In this post, I would like to present all the activities I use to help my students master this grammar. To teach it, you need to teach the adverbs first and then you have to explain where the words should go in a sentence.
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Here is the simplified lesson plan for teaching the adverbs of frequency:

1. Listening
2. Vocabulary worksheet – Activity 1 (students translate the words)
3. Vocabulary worksheet – Activity 2 (students solve the wordsearch)
4. Vocabulary worksheet – Activity 3 (students solve the jumbles)
5. Vocabulary worksheet – Activity 4 (students solve the crossword)
6. Grammar explanation – Infographic (Teacher explains the grammar)
7. Video Game
8. Pronunciation – Students listen and repeat the poem
9. Homework – Students learn the poem by heart

To introduce the adverbs of frequency, I use the following poem. Print the worksheet and hand it out. Students listen and complete the text in the worksheet.

Then check their answers.
I always sit in chair,
I usually brush my hair,
I always look like a daisy,
and I´m always so so lazy.

I´m often on my phone,
on Facebook, I´m never alone,
I´m sometimes a bit crazy,
and I´m always so so lazy.

I never feed the cat
I never make my bed
My dad sometimes gets crazy
because I´m always so so lazy.

Now you can elicit what you will do in this lesson.

To teach this grammar, it is vital that students know the vocabulary. To achieve this I use the following worksheet.

In the first exercise, students try to translate the words. If you teach a group of students who do not share a common language, ask them to use dictionaries or Google Translate (this tool has improved recently). Students really need to understand the words.

In the second exercise, students try to find the adverbs in the Wordsearch. (Note: OFTEN and NOT OFTEN are in the same place.)

In the third exercise, students solve the jumbled words.

The last exercise is the most difficult. Students place the adverbs into the crossword in such a way that they fit in. You can see the solution in this document.

To explain the grammar I use the following mind maps.

The simple way to explain this grammar is: PLACE THE ADVERB IN FRONT OF THE VERB WHICH CARRIES THE MEANING. However, this rule does not work for the verb to BE as you have to place the adverb after it.

The mind maps show a more detail explanation of the grammar. Help your students understand the mind maps. Then I always ask my students to use the mind maps and write as many sentences as possible using only the words in the mind maps. I set a time limit, for example 5 minutes, and at the end I praise the students with most sentences. While the students write, I walk around the classroom and check that the students do not make mistakes and help them, if they got lost.

My students love games on the white board and this one is simple and full of motion. Students stand up and watch the video. Their task is to choose the correct sentence. If the answer is in the upper left corner, students stretch their left hand up.If the answer is in the lower left corner, students stretch their left hand down. If the answer is in the upper right corner, students stretch their right hand up. If the answer is in the lower right corner, students stretch their right hand down. Thus the students get some movement and they practise the grammar, too.

I finish the lesson with the poem from the beginning of the lesson. This time, I want them to learn the pronunciation.

Students take the worksheet with the poem and they listen to the following recording and repeat each line in the pause.

At the end of the lesson, I set the homework. Students have to learn the poem by heart, and in the following lesson they say it in front of the whole class.