Adverbs of Frequency - Gender Policy

Adverbs of frequency gender policy discussion

Discussion

With your partner, add frequency expressions (“once a week”, “almost always”, etc.) to make sentences that describe the maximum number of times somebody should be able to do each thing below without getting sacked. Note that it is not the ideal level, just the maximum acceptable level.

• He asks female members of staff to make the tea for guests.
• He employs female secretaries because of their looks.
• He employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• She makes rude remarks when the men wear tight trousers etc.
• He complements his female subordinates on their appearance.
• He calls the female managers “dear” or “my love”.
• He lets female employees go home early when they have their period.
• He won’t let female members of staff do any heavy physical labour.
• He hangs a topless Pirelli calendar on the inside of his cubicle.
• She pats male colleagues on the bum.
• He tells sexist jokes during drinks after work.
• He suggests that female members of staff should wear skirts.
• He criticizes the male clerks for having long hair or wearing jewelry.
• He complains about having a female boss.
• He holds open doors for ladies.
• He helps female clients with their coats.
• He lets women go through doors before him.
• She ignores her female colleagues.
• She stands near the water cooler and flirts with the men.
• He leans out of the window and whistles at good looking women who walk past.
• He talks about which female celebrities are sexy or not and why during the lunch break.

Discuss some answers with someone from another group.

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Frequency expressions grammar presentation

Divide these example sentences into two groups by where the frequency expressions are put in the sentence. Why are they different?

• He employs air stewardesses because of their looks once every two months.
• He never employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He employs air stewardesses because of their looks once or twice a year.
• He almost always employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He very rarely employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He employs air stewardesses because of their looks three or four times a week.
• He very often employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He occasionally employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He hardly ever employs air stewardesses because of their looks.
• He employs air stewardesses because of their looks every day.

Arrange the two categories of frequency expressions above from the most to the least frequent in the two columns below

Adverbs of frequency (sometimes etc.)	Other frequency expressions
Most frequent                                                 Least frequent	Most frequent                                                 Least frequent

 Further speaking practice

Try to get as many of the answers above as you can by asking different “How often…?” questions.