a third of the time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a third of the time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where a certain action or event takes place one-third of the time. For example, "I spend a third of the time in my office, a third of the time working from home, and a third of the time traveling for work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That is a third of the time.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Then, a third of the time.

The New York Times

Biden does so about a third of the time.

The New Yorker

(Hatch says it's about a third of the time).

Independent

But let's say it works a third of the time would be good, to some degree.

Columbia University

And about a third of the time, the author was one of the top 20 guesses.

Princeton University

He now finishes reports in a third of the time they used to require.

Harvard Business Review

He has become acclimated to third in a third of the time that Ripken expected.

The New York Times - Sports

Favorites win only a third of the time, an immutable racing statistic.

The New York Times - Magazine

(Among the Spanish students, benign envy was described around a third of the time).

The New Yorker

Those identifications are wrong about a third of the time, studies suggest.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For clarity, specify the context when using "a third of the time". For instance, instead of just saying "It rains a third of the time", specify "It rains a third of the time during the monsoon season".

Common error

Don't assume "a third of the time" implies predictability. Just because something occurs a third of the time doesn't mean it will happen predictably every third instance. Probability doesn't guarantee regularity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a third of the time" functions as an adverbial phrase of frequency, modifying a verb or clause to indicate how often an action occurs. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Academia

17%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a third of the time" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something happens approximately 33% of the time. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While versatile, it's best to provide context for clarity, and avoid assuming the frequency implies predictability. It appears most frequently in news and media, with strong usage in academia, according to Ludwig's analysis. For formal or scientific contexts, more precise statistical language might be preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one third of the time

Simply replaces "a" with "one", maintaining the same meaning.

33 percent of the time

Expresses the same proportion using a percentage.

once every three times

Describes the frequency as an event happening in a cycle of three.

on one out of three occasions

Similar to the previous phrase but emphasizes specific occasions.

a fraction of the time

Implies a small, unspecified proportion of the time.

some of the time

Indicates that something happens occasionally but doesn't specify the exact frequency.

part of the time

Similar to "some of the time", indicating non-continuous occurrence.

now and then

Suggests that an event happens from time to time.

occasionally

A single-word adverb expressing that something occurs at intervals.

sometimes

A general term for indicating that something happens but without specifying frequency.

FAQs

How can I use "a third of the time" in a sentence?

You can use "a third of the time" to indicate that something occurs in approximately 33% of instances. For example, "I work from home "a third of the time"."

What is a similar phrase to "a third of the time"?

Similar phrases include "one third of the time", "33 percent of the time", or "once every three times". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more accurate to say "one third of the time" or "a third of the time"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and widely used. "A third of the time" is slightly more informal, while "one third of the time" is often perceived as more precise, though the meaning remains largely the same.

Does "a third of the time" imply a consistent pattern?

"A third of the time" simply indicates the frequency of an event. It does not necessarily mean the event occurs in a regular or predictable pattern. It just means that, overall, the event happens in approximately one out of every three instances.