Habits & Customs
Referring to routine activities
Descriptions of customs or routines tend to use the present non-progressive tense.
Greek Easter
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Present vs. Present Progressive
| PRESENT | PRESENT PROGRESSIVE |
|---|---|
| For an activity, celebration, habit or custom that is:
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For an activity that is:
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We only eat "natural" products. |
This week, I am not eating fish, olive oil or dairy products. |
The priest blesses the food. |
This year, we are celebrating Orthodox Easter a month later. |
We color eggs bright red. |
Today, we are dying eggs red. |
This tradition bonds one generation to the next. |
This morning, we are preparing special dishes. |
Adverbs that tell us – When
| PRESENT – (MORE) PERMANENT | PRESENT PROGRESSIVE – TEMPORARY | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Adverbs for the present tense indicate a more permanent state and tell howoften an activity occurs or is repeated. |
Adverbs for the present progressive indicate a more temporary state, at the moment of speaking. With a larger range of time, for example this month, the focus is still on the present time period not any amount of time that has passed. |
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GENERAL TRUTH general truth (Adverbs are rarely used.) |
FREQUENCY always (routinely, customarily, normally, as a rule, in general) |
NOW at the moment |
THIS ... today / tonight |
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usually (most of the time) |
now (for now, just now) |
this morning |
EVERY ... |
often (frequently, half of the time) |
currently |
this week |
every day (night, week, month, year, etc.) |
sometimes (occasionally, on occasion) |
presently |
this month |
each day (night, week, month, year, etc.) |
rarely (seldom, hardly ever) |
for a little while |
this semester |
every other day (night, week, year, etc.) |
never (not ever) |
as we speak |
this year |
most weekends (nights, weeks, months, etc.) |
*See Adverbs of Frequency |
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Word Order
Emphasizing Time with Adverbs of Frequency
- INITIAL: Usually, my family eats dinner together. Emphasis position
- MEDIAL: My family usually eats dinner together. Standard word order
- FINAL: My family eats dinner together usually.
Select one position for the adverb:
Three Positions for Adverbs
| INITIAL | SUBJECT | MEDIAL | VERB | OBJECT PHRASE | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
For emphasis, use an adverb at the beginnning of the sentence with a comma after it. |
Use most adverbs before the main verb. Place longer expressions at the beginning or end of the sentence. |
Use longer expressions after the object. |
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Most of
the time, |
my family |
always |
eats |
dinner together |
most of
the time. |
*See Adverbs of Frequency for sentence examples.
Negative Adverbs in Initial Position
| INITIAL POSITION | FIXES |
|---|---|
When a negative adverb – never, rarely, seldon, hardly ever – is placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, the auxiliary of the verb is moved in front of the subject. |
After a negative adverb, place the auxiliary verb (do, does, is, are, am, have, has) before the subject and main verb. Initial placement of the adverb is for emphasis. |
Seldom we are home in the day time. / We seldom are at home in the daytime. |
Seldom are we home in the day time. (be verb) |
Never we have much time together. / We never have much time together. |
Never do we have much time together. (other verbs) |
Practice 1
Habits & Temporary Changes
- Select the correct verb tense. Pay attention to the adverbs.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.
Practice 2
Adverb Placement
- Select the correct verb tense. Pay attention to the adverbs.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.
Additional practice: Present vs. Present Progressive

Easter, in my country, 