both times

USAGE SUMMARY

"both times" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "He has gone skiing both times we have been to the mountains."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was the right club both times".

Forbes

Both times.

Independent

The Tigers lost both times.

The New York Times - Sports

And both times he lost.

The New York Times

Both times, Girardi looked smart.

The New York Times - Sports

The Giants won both times.

The New York Times - Sports

She is moved both times.

The New Yorker

Both times, I was unprepared.

The New Yorker

He lost badly both times.

The New Yorker

Both times the voters refused.

The Economist

They fell short both times.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "both times" to clearly indicate that something happened in each of two instances, avoiding ambiguity. For example, "He tried to call, and I missed his call both times."

Common error

Avoid using "both of the times" as it's redundant; "both times" is sufficient. For example, instead of saying "Both of the times I tried, it failed", simply say "Both times I tried, it failed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "both times" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate frequency or occurrence. It specifies that an action or state occurred on two separate occasions. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "both times" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to indicate that something has occurred in each of two instances. Ludwig confirms its validity, and its usage spans various contexts, primarily in news and media, as well as science. A key best practice is to use the concise "both times" instead of the redundant "both of the times". Alternatives like "twice" or "on both occasions" can be used depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

twice

A concise one-word substitute for "both times".

on both occasions

Formal alternative using "occasions" instead of "times".

in both instances

Replaces "times" with "instances", implying specific occurrences.

in the two instances

Similar to "in both instances" but more specific.

on these two occasions

Specifies a set of occasions.

on two separate occasions

Emphasizes the separateness of the two occurrences.

on each of the two occasions

More elaborate and formal restatement.

in both situations

Uses "situations" to refer to the context in which something happens.

each time

Highlights individual occurrences rather than the combined occurrence.

in either case

Suitable when discussing two possible scenarios.

FAQs

How can I use "both times" in a sentence?

"Both times" is used to indicate that something occurred in each of two instances. For example, "I visited Paris twice; "both times" it rained."

What's a synonym for "both times"?

A direct synonym for "both times" is "twice". You can also use phrases like "on both occasions" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "both of the times"?

While understandable, "both of the times" is often considered redundant. It is generally better to use the more concise phrase ""both times"".

Which is more formal: "both times" or "on both occasions"?

"On both occasions" is generally considered more formal than ""both times"". The choice depends on the desired tone and the context of your writing.