[Grammar] don't + sometimes

[Meja]

I don’t travel to work by car. (sometimes)

The task is to put the adverb of frequency in the correct place.
The answer key says: "I sometimes don’t travel to work by car."
I wrote: " I don't sometimes travel to work by car" since it would be the position of other adverbs of frequency in this sentence.
However, it only sounds nice to me if I place "sometimes" at the beginning: "Sometimes I don't travel to work by car."
What's the correct/natural way to say this?

 

[bhaisahab]

Sometimes I don't travel to work by car.

 

[jutfrank]

Sometimes, I don't travel...
I sometimes don't travel...

These are okay.

I don't sometimes travel...

This is not.

 

[GoesStation]

If there's a general rule for the placement of adverbs of frequency, it doesn't work here. It's natural to say I don't often travel to work by car, but it's not natural to replace "often" with "sometimes".

 

[jutfrank]

There are rules, or patterns of usage.

sometimes and often do not belong to exactly the same class of adverb. There's a subtle difference in use.

In this sentence, sometimes means on some occasions, whereas (not) often would mean at a (relatively) low frequency.

I sometimes don't travel to work by car. = On some occasions I don't travel to work by car.
I don't often travel to work by car. = It is infrequent that I travel to work by car.

 

[Meja]

There are rules, or patterns of usage.

sometimes and often do not belong to exactly the same class of adverb. There's a subtle difference in use.

In this sentence, sometimes means on some occasions, whereas (not) often would mean at a (relatively) low frequency.

I sometimes don't travel to work by car. = On some occasions I don't travel to work by car.
I don't often travel to work by car. = It is infrequent that I travel to work by car.

Do you want to say that the meaning of an adverb affects its placement?

 

[jutfrank]

Do you want to say that the meaning of an adverb affects its placement?

Basically, yes, but this can be quite complicated.

 

[Meja]

Basically, yes, but this can be quite complicated.

It sounds complicated.:-?

I don't always travel to work by car.
I don't usually travel to work by car.
I don't often travel to work by car.

I sometimes don't travel to work by car.

How about "generally" and "occasionally"? Do they follow the same pattern as "sometimes"?

In addition, if I want to say that I want to do something on some occasions in the future, can I use "sometimes" in this way:
I will sometimes travel by car.
I sometimes won't travel by car. I'll go by bus.

Thanks for all the answers.

 

[jutfrank]

How about "generally" and "occasionally"? Do they follow the same pattern as "sometimes"?

Sometimes.

In addition, if I want to say that I want to do something on some occasions in the future, can I use "sometimes" in this way:
I will sometimes travel by car.
I sometimes won't travel by car. I'll go by bus.

Yes, but the second sentence is not very likely. (I mean it's hard for me to imagine when you would say that. To create a contrast, you could say Sometimes I'll go by car and sometimes by bus.)

 

[Meja]

Sometimes.

Learners prefer hearing "always" or "never."
Does that mean that we can also (sometimes) use: I don't generally/occasionally travel to work by car?

Yes, but the second sentence is not very likely. (I mean it's hard for me to imagine when you would say that. To create a contrast, you could say Sometimes I'll go by car and sometimes by bus.)

I know that there are better ways to express the same idea. I just wanted to know if that would be correct if I ever needed such a sentence.

 

[bhaisahab]

'I don't generally travel...' is fine. 'I don't occasionally travel...' is not. We would say 'I always travel...' or 'I never travel...' in that case.

 

[Meja]

Okay. I understand that it has a different meaning than intended if the words are put like this. It seems to modify only "travel" instead of "don't travel" if the words are placed this way.

But, if I got it right, we can use these:
Occasionally, I don't travel by car. I go by bus instead.
I occasionally don't go by car. I go by bus.

 

[emsr2d2]

Learners prefer hearing "always" or "never".

Learners here will be very disappointed in that case! Generally, we try not to use either word. Whenever we do, some smarty-pants comes up with an exception to whatever rule we've just said is an absolute.

 

[jutfrank]

Let's be clear: we English language teachers are always careful never to say 'always' although it is not always true that one should never say it.