less than one time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than one time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an occurrence that happens fewer than one full time, often in contexts discussing frequency or probability. Example: "The event occurred less than one time during the entire study period, indicating its rarity."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

However, such difference should be less than one time of magnitude.

Nature

I think it happens less than one time in a thousand.

The Guardian - Film

It is so large that we can argue with great numerical confidence that such a violation would occur at random less than one time in 100,000 measurements.

The New York Times - Science

21 A very cost-effective intervention is less than one time the GDP per DALY averted.

BMJ Open

Tags that occur less than one time in a million, in two or more samples, were filtered from the analysis.

BMC Ecology

We analyzed characteristics of PIA among employees, defined as individuals who reported exercising less than one time a week in the last year.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Even among working households with retirement savings, "Four out of five working households have... less than one times their annual income" (National Institute on Retirement Security, 2013, 11).

HuffPost

With more or less than one time-dimension, the partial differential equations of nature would lack the hyperbolicity property that enables observers to make predictions.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A 2003 study by the Center for International Securities and Derivatives Markets found balance-sheet leverage at hedge funds ranging from less than one times capital to 25 times capital.

The New York Times

The change is less than one times the standard error of the first-step estimation (see the column 'difference/SE' [Diff/SE]).

Agricultural and Food Economics

That skimpy valuation represented less than one times its forward 12 months of revenues, a multiple more closely associated with a corrugated cardboard manufacturer than the most important innovator in retailing in the past 100 years.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less than one time", consider the context. It's most appropriate when discussing frequencies, probabilities, or statistical analyses where fractional occurrences make sense. For general statements about rarity, alternatives like "rarely" or "almost never" might be more suitable.

Common error

Avoid using "less than one time" when a simple "never" or "not at all" would be more accurate and clear. For instance, if an event truly did not happen during a period, state that directly instead of saying it happened "less than one time".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than one time" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the frequency with which an action occurs. Ludwig examples show its usage in scientific contexts to describe rare events or statistical probabilities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less than one time" is grammatically sound and serves to denote something that happens infrequently. Ludwig's AI confirms its correctness, and while not the most common expression, it's appropriate for scenarios needing precision, especially in scientific or statistical contexts. Its utility lies in specifying a frequency even lower than a single occurrence. While acceptable, consider more natural alternatives like "rarely" or "almost never" for broader applicability and enhanced clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not even once

This stresses that the event may not occur at all.

fewer than once

This alternative directly indicates that the action or event happens at a frequency below a single instance.

hardly ever

This suggests a very low frequency of occurrence, bordering on never.

almost never

This emphasizes the rarity of the event happening.

scarcely ever

This conveys a sense of the event happening very infrequently.

infrequently

This adverb describes the action as not occurring often.

rarely

This highlights the scarcity of the event.

hardly any times

This specifies that there are very few instances of the event.

on rare occasions

This focuses on the few instances when the event might happen.

seldom

This implies that the event is unusual and doesn't happen regularly.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "less than one time" to sound more natural?

Consider using phrases like "fewer than once", "rarely", or "almost never" for a more natural tone. The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "less than one time"?

Yes, "less than one time" is grammatically correct. It is used to indicate an event or action that occurs with a frequency of less than once.

When is it appropriate to use "less than one time" instead of "never"?

"Less than one time" is suitable when you're dealing with statistical data or probabilities where fractional occurrences are meaningful. If an event truly did not occur, "never" is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "less than one time" and "not even once"?

"Less than one time" indicates a frequency that is less than a single occurrence, while "not even once" emphasizes the complete absence of an event.