总是【zǒngshì】

总是 goes before the verb or adjective and says the same thing happens every time.

About someone else's habits, it often carries a complaint: this keeps happening and it shouldn't.

总是不 or 不总是

The order of 不 changes the meaning. 总是不 is "never", every time not. 不总是 is "not always", only sometimes.

Before the verb

总是 stays before the verb, after the subject and any time word, where English "always" often drifts.

• × 他早上喝总是咖啡 → 他早上总是喝咖啡

总是 or 一直

总是 is the same thing again and again. 一直 is one unbroken stretch. 他总是看书 says he reads at every chance; 他一直在看书 says he hasn't stopped reading.

In speech, 总 alone does the same job: 他总迟到.