it frequently happened

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it frequently happened" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an event or situation that occurred often in the past. Example: "During the summer months, it frequently happened that the park was filled with families enjoying picnics."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It frequently happened, when Patrick stopped purposefully making notes in "Pond, with Mud" (his secret name for his encrypted journal), that he began to feel as if he might be on the verge of formulating a concrete idea about the nature of existence, and about his place in the scheme of things.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It frequently happens that mixtures with endothermic heats of mixing expand i.e., show small increases in volume while mixtures with exothermic heats of mixing tend to contract.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Happening All at Once Because of the vagaries of the movie release business, it frequently happens that actors, particularly supporting actors, find that films they have made over several years suddenly arrive in theaters in clusters.

The New York Times

It frequently happens that an extensive program of systematic measurements is called for before a new systems conception can be implemented, even when the basic conception is well established.

Encyclopedia Britannica

However, it frequently happens that there are minor gaps in the capabilities of the turnkey nodes.

Journal of Cheminformatics

For example, when the outcome is a change from baseline, the power calculation requires the standard deviation of the difference, and it frequently happens that only the standard deviations of the baseline and the follow-up measurements are reported.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

From application point of view the situation is not yet completely satisfactory because it frequently happens that a mapping T is a contraction not on the entire space X but merely on a subset Y of X.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

In both of these cases it frequently happens that the predicted DTI is ranked below the known DTIs for the drug, thus confidence for such predictions is essentially smaller than by choosing the single top-ranked prediction for the drug.

Journal of Cheminformatics

From the application point of view, the situation is not yet completely satisfactory because it frequently happens that a mapping T is a contraction not on the entire space X but merely on a subset Y of X.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

It frequently happens that donor-funded projects have unrealistic goals and objectives and that the expectations of donors and counterparts alike become impossible to satisfy.

Global health, science and practice

It frequently happens that some time-honored protocols are left without possible explanations and their interpretation is often restricted to "argyrophilic or not".

Acta Neuropathologica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past events that recurred, use "it frequently happened" to add emphasis to the repeated nature of the occurrence. For example, "During the economic recession, "it frequently happened" that companies had to lay off employees."

Common error

Avoid using "it frequently happened" in informal contexts. While grammatically correct, the phrase can sound stilted in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "it often happened" or "it happened a lot".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it frequently happened" functions as an introductory phrase to set the stage for describing a recurring event or situation. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and is used to introduce information about past occurrences.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it frequently happened" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe recurring events in the past. Ludwig confirms its validity, although its usage is relatively rare. It appears most often in News & Media, Science and Encyclopedias sources. While effective in formal writing, simpler alternatives may be more appropriate for casual conversation. When considering alternatives, "it often happened" offers a less formal option, while "it regularly occurred" provides a more formal alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it often happened

Replaces "frequently" with "often", a common synonym, resulting in a slightly less formal tone.

it regularly occurred

Substitutes "frequently" with "regularly" and "happened" with "occurred", providing a more formal and precise alternative.

it happened on many occasions

Emphasizes the multiple instances of the event using a more descriptive phrase.

it repeatedly took place

Replaces "frequently happened" with "repeatedly took place", stressing the recurring nature of the event.

it transpired frequently

Uses "transpired" as a more formal synonym for "happened", maintaining the sense of repeated occurrence.

it recurred often

Combines "recurred", meaning to occur again, with "often" to convey the repeated nature of the event.

it chronically happened

Uses "chronically" to emphasize the persistent and habitual nature of the occurrence.

it habitually occurred

Replaces "frequently" with "habitually", suggesting that the event was a common practice or tendency.

it was a frequent occurrence

Transforms the phrase into a noun phrase, emphasizing the event's nature as a common occurrence.

it was common for it to happen

Expresses the frequent occurrence in terms of commonality, shifting the focus slightly.

FAQs

What does "it frequently happened" mean?

The phrase "it frequently happened" means that something occurred often or repeatedly in the past. It indicates a recurring event or situation.

How can I use "it frequently happened" in a sentence?

You can use "it frequently happened" to describe events that recurred in the past. For example, "During my childhood, "it frequently happened" that we visited our grandparents during the summer."

Which is a more formal way to say "it frequently happened"?

A more formal way to express the same idea is "it regularly occurred" or "it transpired frequently". These alternatives, while maintaining the meaning, lend a more sophisticated tone to your writing.

What are some alternatives to "it frequently happened"?

You can use alternatives like "it often happened", "it happened on many occasions", or "it repeatedly took place" to convey a similar meaning with slight variations in emphasis.