260 CHAPTER 5. COUNTERS AND COUNTING
words depending on whether it’s followed by a positive or negative verb.
literally: ”You’re always saying only those kind of things”
”(You)’re always saying the same thing.”
”Why is it (you) know (how to do it) when (you) never do it (in the
first place)?”
When indicating something happens ’most of the time’, or ’usually’,
is used. There’s not much else to say about it other than that it’s usually
used in combination with a positive verb form:
”(I) usually get up at 7.”
We’ve already covered this adverb by virtue of it being the adverbial form
of. In a quantifying role, it signifies a frequent occurence of whatever
verb it’s being used with:
”(I) often swim.”
, - Not often / not much
This adverb actually comes from the the verb , meaning ”to be
left over”, and is the counterpart to. It is typically only be used when
followed by a negative verb or verbal adjective:
”(I) don’t like (red) tea very much.”
There is no real difference between and , but the
laĴer sounds slightly more emphatic.
