1. 常常，经常，时常　 many times; at short intervals; frequently
2. 在大多数情况下　 in many instances

　～ come　经常来
　～ go　经常去
　～ hear　经常听见
　～ meet　经常遇见
　～ rain　经常下雨
　～ write to sb　经常给某人写信
　～ damp　通常很潮湿
　～ difficult　通常很难
　～ tall　通常很高

　I often go swimming in summer.　夏天我经常去游泳。
　We often go there.　我们常去那儿。
　I have often heard that he is the smartest person in the government.　我常听人说，他是政府里最聪明的人。
　We have often been there.　我们经常在那里。
　I have to get there often.　我不得不经常去那儿。
　Occasionally we go to a concert, but much more often to the theatre.　我们偶尔去听音乐会，看戏则多得多。
　These types of dogs often have eye problems.　这种狗的眼睛好多都有毛病。
　He writes to me often.　他经常给我写信。
　He doesn't get drunk often.　他不常喝醉。
　Very often you cannot know one without knowing the other.　如果你不知其一，往往也不能知其二。
　It very often rains here in April.　这儿四月份常下雨。
　I haven't been there very often.　我近来不常到那儿去。
　I met him quite often while I was in Beijing.　我在北京期间经常碰到他。
　Often did we warn them not to do so.　我们曾多次警告他们不要这么做。
　Often had I intended to speak of it.　我常想说说这件事。
　Often Tom doesn't take medicine, but sometimes he does.　汤姆有时不肯服药，有时肯服药。
　Children often dislike tomatoes.　孩子们一般来说不喜欢西红柿。
　Americans are often very tall.　美国人多半个子很高。
　It's often difficult to translate poems.　翻译诗歌在许多情况下都是困难的。
　Perry is a good football player.　佩雷一直是一个优秀的足球运动员。
　A bold venture is often successful.　大胆的投机经常获得成功。
　The disease is often fatal.　这种病经常致死。
　Old houses are often damp.　旧房大都潮湿。
　How often do you go there?　你多久去那里一次?
　How often does this magazine come out?　这本杂志多长时间出一期?
　How often have you been there?　你到那里去过多少次了?
　We see him when he comes to town, but that isn't often.　他进城时我们能见到他，但不经常。
　Is it often that I have a chance to see him?　我常有机会见到他吗?

 ♣ as often as
　每次，每当　each time that; as many times as
　As often as he tried to go there, he always failed.　每当他想去那儿时，结果总是去不成。
　As often as I tried to get an answer from him he made some excuse and avoided giving me the information I wanted.　每当我想从他那儿得到回答时，他总是找借口，避而不答我想要的信息。
 ♣ as often as not
　往往，多半　very frequently
　When it's foggy the trains are late as often as not.　雾大时，火车往往晚点。
　As often as not, Jacelin thinks before he speaks but rarely resists the temptation to do so.　杰斯林多半是经过深思熟虑才发表意见的，难得有不这么干的时候。
 ♣ every so often
　有时，偶尔　sometime
　Every so often, she takes a weekend in London.　她有时在伦敦过周末。
　They talked for several minutes, Frederick smiling broadly and nodding his head vigorously every so often.　他们交谈了几分钟，弗雷德里克偶尔笑一笑并用力点头。
　This make of starter-motor has a good reputation but every so often you get one that just won't function properly however much you tinker with it.　这种启动马达声誉不错，但是人们不时也会遇到运转不正常的机器，无论你怎么调整都没用。
 ♣ more often than not
　往往，多半　very frequently
　More often than not the patient recovers.　病人多半能恢复健康。
　More often than not, he's drunk when I meet him.　每当我见到他时，他经常是喝得醉醺醺的。
　Ben is a fairly good runner, he wins more often than not.　本是个相当不错的赛跑选手，他常常跑赢。

 ♣ often, always, sometimes, usually
　参见always条。
 ♣ often, frequently
　这两个词都可表示“经常”。其区别是：often是常用词，强调的是经常性，具体时间意味不强；frequently比较正式，强调在某一具体时间内某事一次接一次地发生。试比较：
　

1. 昨天上英语课时，我常常犯拼写错误。
　［误］ I often made spelling mistakes in English class yesterday.
　［正］ I made spelling mistakes in English class several times yesterday.
　［析］ often通常不与其他表示时间的词（如yesterday)出现在同一句子中，因为often表示“不同场合下常常…”，而不表示“同一场合下常常…”。
2. 他经常因公出差到国外去。
　［误］ He travels often abroad for business.
　［正］ He often travels abroad for business.
　［析］ often一般放在行为动词之前，系动词、助动词或情态动词之后，但在强调系动词、助动词或情态动词时例外。
3. 你多久给你的父母写信?
　［误］ How long do you write to your parents?
　［正］ How often do you write to your parents?
　［析］ how long指“行为持续的时间”，而how often则表示“多久发生一次”，即某种行为发生的频率。

　as often as not　和more often than not同义，都作“往往，多半，再三，不时”解，且都是肯定的意思。例如：
　The motoring accidents happen in this section more often than not/as often as not.　车祸不时在这一地段发生。

　［同义词］ always, usually
　［词源］　中古英语oft（多次，经常）