HSK 2
频率、重复副词：重新、经常、老、老是、又
pín lǜ 、 chóng fù fù cí ： chóng xīn 、 jīng cháng 、 lǎo 、 lǎo shì 、 yòu
Adverbs of frequency and repetition: 重新, 经常, 老, 老是, 又
Explanation
This is a group of adverbs (words that modify a verb or adjective) indicating frequency (how often) and repetition of an action. Adverbs always come BEFORE the verb.
Subject (the person/thing that performs, at the start of the sentence) + adverb + verb. Meaning of each word: 重新 (chóngxīn) = do over again from the start; 经常 (jīngcháng) = often (neutral); 老 (lǎo) = keeps, always (colloquial, slightly complaining); 老是 (lǎoshì) = keeps on... (emphasizing an annoying repetition); 又 (yòu) = again (once more, for something that has already happened).
经常 to describe a habit; 老/老是 to complain about something that keeps repeating; 重新 to redo from the start; 又 when something has just happened once more.
又 (yòu) is used for something that HAS already happened again (又下雨了 = it's raining again); while 再 (zài) is used for something that WILL repeat in the future (明天再来 = come again tomorrow). 经常 is neutral and polite; 老是 carries a feeling of irritation.
(1) Placing the adverb after the verb (writing 下雨老是) — wrong, it must come before. (2) Using 又 for a future action instead of 再. (3) Overusing 老 in formal writing; use 经常 instead.
Examples
I have to rewrite this essay from the start once more.
I often see him studying at the library.
This Chinese character is a bit hard; I keep writing it wrong.
It keeps raining in Beijing this month.
Our team scored one more goal.
Practice
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Learn “频率、重复副词：重新、经常、老、老是、又” effectively
The grammar point “频率、重复副词：重新、经常、老、老是、又” (Adverbs of frequency and repetition: 重新, 经常, 老, 老是, 又) is one of the key structures at HSK 2. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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