at several instances

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at several instances" is not correct in standard written English; the correct phrase is "on several occasions." You can use it when referring to multiple times something has happened or been observed.
Example: "The issue arose on several occasions during the project, causing delays."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Three dimensional RANS simulations with laminar-turbulent transition models are performed at several instances in the flight trajectory using commercial CFD solver.

Aerospace Science and Technology

Morphological features have been correlated with the production of secondary metabolites at several instances (O'Cleirigh et al. 2005; Papagianni and Mattey 2006).

AMB Express

Thus, it can be inferred that OsMT1e gene might have got duplicated on chromosome XII at several instances and thus got further diverged from each other.

BMC Plant Biology

At several instances however the clarity of presentation would still profit from further improvement and one essential control experiment is missing: I) Missing control experiment: Figure 4: The new data clearly strengthen the manuscript.

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Sometimes, as several instances suggest, the decision is communicated at the last moment to partners and even children.

Comparative Migration Studies

In at least several instances, the meet and greet seemed to work.

The New York Times - Sports

Mohammed also claimed that much of the information he had given under torture was false, and in at least several instances that turned out to be correct.

The New Yorker

The investigation, according to people familiar with it, concluded that such a double standard may have been applied in at least several instances, some within the past four or five years; evidence strongly indicated that some of the league's best players failed drug tests, but were not punished, because of their high profile status.

The New York Times - Sports

During Cho's last two years at Virginia Tech, several instances of his abnormal behavior, as well as plays and other writings he submitted containing references to violence, caused concern among teachers and classmates.

Wikipedia

In addition, in at least several instances, negative indices were associated with DGRP lines whose survival to eclosion or locomotor ability was poor, even without irradiation.

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Creationists who do transition to higher levels of acceptance of evolution apparently do so, at least in several instances described herein, through a series of concessions which are common across cases.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "at several instances", opt for the more grammatically sound and widely accepted phrase "on several occasions".

Common error

A common mistake is using the preposition "at" instead of "on" when referring to occasions or instances. Remember that "on" is typically used with specific occasions or dates, whereas "at" is usually used for specific locations or times. Therefore, it's more appropriate to say "on several occasions" rather than "at several instances".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at several instances" functions as a prepositional phrase, attempting to modify a verb or noun by indicating the frequency or occurrence of an action or event. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it is not considered standard written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "at several instances" is used to indicate multiple occurrences or situations. However, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect. The preferred alternative is "on several occasions", which is more widely accepted and grammatically sound. While "at several instances" appears in various contexts, primarily in Science and News & Media sources, it is advisable to use the corrected phrase, "on several occasions", to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in writing. Other alternatives, like "in several cases" or "at multiple times", can also be employed depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on several occasions

This is the most direct and grammatically correct alternative, focusing on the repeated nature of the events.

on numerous occasions

Similar to "on several occasions" but suggests a higher frequency of occurrence.

on a number of occasions

A more formal way of saying "on several occasions".

in several cases

This alternative highlights specific situations where something occurred.

in various instances

Highlights the diversity of situations or events where something happened.

in several situations

Similar to "in several cases", focusing on the circumstances.

at multiple times

This option emphasizes the repeated timing of events.

at different times

This alternative emphasizes the variety in the timing of occurrences.

repeatedly

A single-word adverb conveying the idea of something happening multiple times.

frequently

Indicates a high rate of occurrence.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct alternative to "at several instances"?

A more grammatically correct and commonly used alternative is "on several occasions".

Is "at several instances" considered proper English?

No, "at several instances" is generally considered incorrect in standard written English. It's better to use phrases like "on several occasions" or "in several cases".

How can I use "on several occasions" in a sentence?

You can use "on several occasions" to indicate that something has happened more than once. For example, "The issue was discussed on several occasions during the meetings".

What's the difference between "at several instances" and "in several instances"?

While "at several instances" is generally incorrect, "in several instances" is acceptable, although less common than "on several occasions". "In several instances" emphasizes the particular occurrences or situations where something happened.