a single occurrence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a single occurrence" is correct and can be used in written English.
It refers to something that happens only once. Example: "The power outage was a single occurrence that happened on that stormy night."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The second situation concerns unintended consequences that are based on an aggregate of individual elements, not a single occurrence.

Harvard Business Review

The court has already ruled that under the definitions in Wilprop, the attack is viewed as a single occurrence and the developer gets only one payment.

The New York Times

Somewhere else the same sequence of zeros and sevens may appear, only this time interrupted by a single occurrence of the digit 3. Another accident.

The New Yorker

In this list of lunar eclipse dates from 1950 to 2050, I couldn't find a single occurrence to two lunar eclipses (even penumbral ones) in one month.

Cornell University

The court has already ruled that three insurers, with a total coverage of $112 million, were bound by Wilprop, which regards the destruction of the trade center as a single occurrence.

The New York Times

But Judge Martin ruled yesterday that the attack on the trade center was a single occurrence under the terms of the insurance form used by Hartford Fire Insurance, Royal Indemnity and the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company.

The New York Times

The insurers have argued that the policy outline agreed to by the insurers defines as a single occurrence all losses or damages from a single cause or a series of similar causes.

The New York Times

He might get only $3.5 billion -- the payout for a single occurrence -- since his basic argument may seem no more persuasive in a trial that is scheduled to begin in August.

The New York Times

Of the $100 million expected to be bet on Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, as much as one-third will be made on a single occurrence, unlikely or not, that may happen in 60 minutes of football.

The New York Times

Because this was only a single occurrence of breakage, it is not clear if design issues or atypical insertion of the blade was responsible for breakage.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine

On May 3rd a jury ruled that Swiss Re, the world's second-largest reinsurer, which wrote about a quarter of the coverage for the World Trade Centre, was bound by a form that classed such attacks as a single occurrence.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a single occurrence", ensure the context clearly indicates that the event is not part of a recurring pattern. Use it to highlight the unique or isolated nature of the event.

Common error

Don't assume that because something is "a single occurrence" it's unimportant. A single event can still have significant consequences or be a critical data point.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a single occurrence" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence. It denotes a unique instance or event. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, supported by numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a single occurrence" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that denotes something happening only once. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its function is to highlight the singularity of an event, often to distinguish it from recurring patterns. The phrase appears across a broad range of registers, from formal scientific papers to news articles, making it versatile for different writing styles. It's important to note that just because something is a single occurrence doesn't diminish its potential significance. Consider using alternative phrases like ""an isolated incident"" or ""a one-time event"" to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an isolated incident

Focuses on the event being separate and not part of a pattern.

a one-time event

Emphasizes the event happening only once in time.

a unique instance

Highlights the distinct and non-repetitive nature of the event.

an individual case

Implies a specific and separate example.

an isolated episode

Similar to isolated incident, but often used for events that are part of a larger series but are distinctly separate.

a solitary occasion

Stresses the infrequency and singleness of the event.

a lone happening

Emphasizes the isolated nature of the event.

an infrequent event

Focuses on the rare nature of the event.

a non-recurring instance

Highlights that the instance does not happen again.

a singular event

Emphasizes the uniqueness and rarity of the event.

FAQs

How can I use "a single occurrence" in a sentence?

You can use "a single occurrence" to emphasize that something happened only once, like in the sentence, "The error was "a single occurrence" and did not affect the overall results."

What can I say instead of "a single occurrence"?

You can use alternatives like "an isolated incident", "a one-time event", or "a unique instance" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a single occurrence" or "single occurrence"?

Both phrases can be correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "A single occurrence" specifies one instance of something, while "single occurrence" can describe the state of something happening only once. For example, "The data point was from "a single occurrence"." versus "The single occurrence data point was removed."

What's the difference between "a single occurrence" and "a rare occurrence"?

"A single occurrence" simply means something happened once. "A rare occurrence" implies that something doesn't happen often, but may have happened more than once. The context determines which phrase is most appropriate.