alter occasionally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "alter occasionally" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing changes or modifications that happen from time to time rather than consistently. Example: "The schedule may alter occasionally to accommodate special events or holidays."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The monkeys' relative positions were altered occasionally by the experimenter during the task, introducing social conflict in some positions.

Plosone

But for the people Brett works with every day, starting a fitness program is a life-altering, occasionally world-shattering commitment.

Huffington Post

Weekday hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 2 to 5 p.m. Church activities occasionally alter the schedule.

The New York Times

And Germans might take comfort from the idea that they now have a democracy robust enough to be able to alter the balance occasionally.

The Economist

They are grabbing you, but they're not doing anything about it right now.' " The tournament was played at an arena that was open to the outside from the mezzanine level, which allowed humidity to thicken the air and wind to occasionally alter the playing conditions.

The New York Times - Sports

Sinatra would occasionally alter the lyrics slightly.

Wikipedia

Complicating the role of induced fit in TCR recognition of pMHC are observations that peptides occasionally alter their conformations upon TCR binding.

Biochemical Journal

And they have some lively (if occasionally incomprehensible) alter egos to root for in the young actresses playing Miss Hannigan's orphans.

The New York Times

Despite its effectiveness to impose the required reference dynamics, an apparent drift of the adaptive gains, which can eventually lead to closed-loop instability or alter tracking performance, may occasionally be induced by external disturbances.

Journal of the Franklin Institute

If I do some things only partially or occasionally, or alter or "forget" other things, I may save myself time or inconvenience — but I also may bring risk or harm.

Los Angeles Times

Your body has the ability to adapt quickly, so if you don't alter your exercise routing occasionally, you will hit a plateau.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "alter occasionally", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being changed and under what circumstances the changes occur. For example, "The meeting schedule may alter occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances."

Common error

Avoid using "alter occasionally" when the changes are actually frequent or regular. Using "alter periodically" or "alter frequently" would be more appropriate in such cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "alter occasionally" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying the frequency with which an action (altering) occurs. It indicates that the alteration is not a regular or constant event, aligning with Ludwig's indication that the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "alter occasionally" is a grammatically sound construction used to express that something changes infrequently. Despite Ludwig AI confirming its correctness, the phrase has a low frequency of use. Suitable alternatives include phrases like "modify sometimes" or "change periodically". While appropriate for diverse contexts, careful consideration should be given to whether it accurately reflects the intended frequency of change, thus preventing misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

modify sometimes

Replaces "alter" with "modify" and "occasionally" with "sometimes", indicating a slight change in wording.

change periodically

Substitutes "alter" with "change" and "occasionally" with "periodically", suggesting scheduled or regular but infrequent changes.

adjust now and then

Uses "adjust" instead of "alter" and "now and then" in place of "occasionally", providing a more casual tone.

revise from time to time

Replaces "alter" with "revise" and "occasionally" with "from time to time", indicating infrequent revisions.

vary sporadically

Changes "alter" to "vary" and "occasionally" to "sporadically", suggesting irregular and unpredictable changes.

amend infrequently

Uses "amend" instead of "alter" and "infrequently" in place of "occasionally", emphasizing the lack of frequency.

transform scarcely

Replaces "alter" with "transform" and "occasionally" with "scarcely", implying rare and significant changes.

shift at intervals

Substitutes "alter" with "shift" and "occasionally" with "at intervals", suggesting changes that occur after specific periods.

correct selectively

Uses "correct" instead of "alter" and "selectively" in place of "occasionally", indicating specific and deliberate changes.

rework hardly ever

Replaces "alter" with "rework" and "occasionally" with "hardly ever", emphasizing the rarity of changes.

FAQs

How can I use "alter occasionally" in a sentence?

You can use "alter occasionally" to describe something that changes infrequently. For example, "The company policy may "alter occasionally" based on new regulations."

What are some alternatives to "alter occasionally"?

Some alternatives include phrases like "modify sometimes", "change periodically", or "adjust now and then". These options provide similar meanings with slight variations in tone.

Is it better to say "alter occasionally" or "occasionally alter"?

Both "alter occasionally" and "occasionally alter" are grammatically correct, but "alter occasionally" tends to be more common and natural-sounding in English. The choice depends on the specific context and desired emphasis.

What's the difference between "alter occasionally" and "alter frequently"?

"Alter occasionally" implies changes that happen rarely or sporadically, while "alter frequently" suggests changes that happen often or regularly. Use "alter frequently" when modifications occur more than just a few times.