Very intermittently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Very intermittently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs at irregular intervals or not consistently. Example: "The internet connection in this area works very intermittently, making it difficult to complete online tasks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But "Here Rests Peggy," which had its premiere on Wednesday night at the Chocolate Factory, only very intermittently hinted at the grandness that helped inspire it.

The New York Times - Arts

It has survived for more than 25 years, very intermittently, because all four members have the sort of working lives that free improvisers do, with one far-flung project after another.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As for tonight, the Germans were intermittently very impressive, while the Dutch were correspondingly dreadful.

The New York Times

But Ira is not simply the young protagonist of the book; he is also its author — an old man very like Roth, intermittently addressing his computer, who is called Ecclesias.

The New Yorker

The film is gory, odd (with its scenes of talking animals and severed heads in fridges), horribly uneven but intermittently very funny in its own tasteless, grand-guignol fashion.

Independent

I was going to review the first episode of this new comedy last week, but received the wrong DVD, so my panegyric has had to wait: it's beautifully acted (especially by Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani in the lead roles), wonderfully written (by Stefan Golaszewski), and intermittently very funny indeed.

Independent

To underscore and legitimise our paint-flinger's genius, we usually have to await the arrival of some big-noise critic, like Jeffrey Tambor's Clem Greenberg in Pollock, to announce, "By god, Pollock, I think you've finally cracked it!" Same thing in Judd Apatow's intermittently very funny but ungainly and overlong Funny People (how many Woody Allen movies run to 146 minutes?).

The Guardian - Film

I was convinced that were I to go to the hospital I would be met with scoffs and told to go home and fart on my own time, so I stayed in the bathroom, trying to poop, taking a bath, stroking the tiles very, very gently, and intermittently howling.

The New Yorker

Post-peak infection the parasite is rapidly cleared by the chicken and resurges only intermittently at very low densities.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

This wasn't one of George Manahan's best moments, but intermittently, he conducted very well.

The New York Times - Arts

It also reminds us that when Massive Dad are good, they're very good – which happens only intermittently here.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "very intermittently", ensure the context clearly indicates the irregular and infrequent nature of the action or event you are describing. This phrase is most effective when emphasizing the lack of consistency.

Common error

Avoid using "very intermittently" when the action actually occurs with some regularity. Overusing intensifiers can weaken the impact of your writing, making it seem less precise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very intermittently" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying the manner or frequency with which an action or state occurs. As evidenced by the examples found by Ludwig, it serves to emphasize the sporadic and infrequent nature of something.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "very intermittently" is an adverbial phrase used to describe actions or events that occur sporadically and infrequently. As Ludwig AI explains, it is grammatically correct but relatively rare, with usage spanning across News & Media and Science. When writing, ensure that the context warrants emphasizing the lack of regularity. If not, alternatives like "quite sporadically" or "very occasionally" may be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Quite sporadically

Emphasizes the irregular and scattered nature of the occurrences.

Very occasionally

Focuses on the infrequency of the events.

Highly irregularly

Highlights the lack of a consistent pattern.

Extremely sporadically

Intensifies the sporadic nature of the occurrences.

Hardly ever

Implies that the event is rare and infrequent.

Seldom

Indicates a low frequency of occurrence.

Spasmodically

Suggests occurrences are sudden and brief, happening at irregular intervals.

In a patchy manner

Emphasizes the uneven distribution and occurrence.

With great infrequency

Formal way of expressing that something happens rarely.

On rare occasions

Highlights that the events are exceptional and not routine.

FAQs

How can I use "very intermittently" in a sentence?

You can use "very intermittently" to describe actions or events that occur sporadically and infrequently. For example, "The Wi-Fi signal works "quite sporadically"".

What phrases are similar in meaning to "very intermittently"?

Alternatives to "very intermittently" include "quite sporadically", "very occasionally", or "highly irregularly", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "intermittently" or "very intermittently"?

The choice depends on the degree of infrequency you want to emphasize. "Very intermittently" intensifies the sporadic nature, while "intermittently" simply indicates that something happens at irregular intervals. In the specific case, since this is a rare expression is usually better to stick with other expressions.

What's the difference between "intermittently" and "occasionally"?

"Intermittently" suggests irregular and unpredictable intervals, while "occasionally" implies less frequent but somewhat more predictable instances. Therefore, "very occasionally" should be preferred.