albeit sporadic

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "albeit sporadic" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to acknowledge a condition or situation that is true, even if it is not consistent or regular. Example: "The team's progress was, albeit sporadic, a sign of improvement over the past few months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

They say such trade – albeit sporadic – only increases demand for ivory goods and is responsible for triggering the recent rise in illegal trade and the killing of thousands of elephants across Africa.

The Guardian

According to the report, there are three elements that are currently aggravating the fragile state of affairs: first is the ongoing (albeit sporadic) violence; second is the continued expansion and legalization of settlements; and third is the illicit build-up of arms, specifically by Hamas.

Huffington Post

On the other hand, anisohydric species that maximize transpiration and photosynthesis while tolerating very negative water potential values might represent a more interesting choice in order to favour transpirational cooling of buildings (Schweitzer and Erell 2014) and/or improve the capacity of green roofs to intercept water during intense albeit sporadic rainfall events (Nardini et al. 2012 a ).

AoB PLANTS

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Until now, the plane, which was first flown in tests in 1969, has had a good safety record, albeit with sporadic difficulties.

The New York Times

Idiopathic PD, albeit a sporadic disorder with low heritability, now appears to have a significant genetic component.

Genome Medicine

Although melioidosis is usually thought of as a disease of southeast Asia and northern Australia, there is mounting evidence that it is widely distributed throughout the Caribbean islands, Central America, and South America, albeit with only sporadic cases of infection reported in the literature.

Clinical Infectious Diseases

By contrast, the botulism cases were generally more sporadic (albeit with some clustering) (25,26), suggesting that C. botulinum and, to a lesser degree, C. tetani spores might be more commonly present in the drug supply or in the local environment but at varying levels of contamination.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Mutations in MBDs do occur in sporadic tumours, albeit rarely (Bader et al, 2003).

British Journal of Cancer

Behind him, the half-backs Harry Ellis and man of the match Andy Goode had productive nights, albeit against opponents offering only a sporadic threat.

The Guardian - Sport

There is generally a family history consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance, albeit with reduced penetrance, but apparently sporadic early and late onset cases are also seen (Hjermind et al., 2002).

Brain

Using the Agilent 244K genome wide CGH microarray, we found numerous albeit recurrent and remarkably stereotypic chromosomal abnormalities in sporadic chordomas.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "albeit sporadic" to concede that something is true or present, even if it happens irregularly. This adds nuance and precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "albeit sporadic" in sentences where simpler alternatives like "sometimes" or "occasionally" would suffice. Overusing complex phrases can make your writing sound unnecessarily convoluted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "albeit sporadic" functions as an adverbial modifier, adding a concessive element to the statement it modifies. Ludwig shows this by contextualizing events that happen sometimes, but not always.

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

The phrase "albeit sporadic" is a grammatically correct way to acknowledge something while noting its inconsistent nature. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's usable in written English and can add nuance to your writing. While not a highly frequent phrase, it appears in reputable sources like The Guardian and The New York Times, mostly in News & Media and Science contexts. Consider using simpler alternatives if the formality isn't necessary, but don't hesitate to employ "albeit sporadic" when you need that specific concessive tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

though infrequent

This alternative replaces "albeit" with "though" and "sporadic" with "infrequent", maintaining the core meaning of occasional occurrence.

even if intermittent

Replaces "albeit" with "even if" and "sporadic" with "intermittent", suggesting pauses or gaps in occurrence.

although occasional

"Although" substitutes "albeit", and "occasional" replaces "sporadic", both implying something happening from time to time.

while not consistent

This alternative emphasizes the lack of consistency, rather than focusing on the irregular nature of the occurrence.

despite its irregularity

Highlights the irregular nature of the occurrence, using a more direct noun phrase construction.

though on occasion

Implies the event happens sometimes, but not regularly.

even when uncommon

Focuses on the rarity of the event, maintaining the concessive tone.

if only rarely

Emphasizes the infrequency of the event, presenting it as almost negligible.

though few and far between

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey the rarity and separation of occurrences.

granting its infrequency

Acknowledges the infrequency as a given fact, before proceeding with the main point.

FAQs

How can I use "albeit sporadic" in a sentence?

Use "albeit sporadic" to acknowledge something exists or occurs, even if it's not consistent or frequent. For example: "The team's progress, "albeit sporadic", showed signs of improvement".

What are some alternatives to "albeit sporadic"?

You can use alternatives like "though infrequent", "even if intermittent", or "although occasional", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to use "albeit" with "sporadic"?

No, "sporadic" can stand alone to indicate something occurring at irregular intervals. "Albeit" simply adds a concessive element, acknowledging the presence of something despite its irregular nature.

What is the difference between "sporadic" and "intermittent"?

"Sporadic" implies irregular or scattered occurrences, while "intermittent" suggests occurrences with pauses or gaps in between. While similar, "sporadic" emphasizes the lack of a pattern, while "intermittent" focuses on the on-and-off nature. "Even if intermittent" is an alternative for "albeit sporadic".