not sometimes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not sometimes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something does not occur at any time or is not occasional. Example: "I do not sometimes feel overwhelmed; I feel it all the time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Is it not, sometimes, unbearable?

The Guardian - Sport

"If not, sometimes it's better to forget".

The New York Times

They are "autobiographical in feeling, though not, sometimes, entirely so in fact," she writes.

The New York Times - Books

"But that doesn't mean he's not sometimes funny," he hastily added.

Independent

Elections proceeded whether Iraq was ready or not, sometimes helping exacerbate divisions rather than bridge them.

The New York Times

You can't be human and read these poems and not sometimes hear yourself gasp.

Independent

This is not to say that the act of insulting someone is not sometimes morally despicable.

The New Yorker

Those that are not sometimes display key information on the door or on nearby bulletin boards.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

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Vice

"The broader idea ― in terms of whether it's domestic terrorism or not ― sometimes isn't communicated to the public for a very valid reason".

Huffington Post

The question on diet adherence was answerable by 'no', 'sometimes' or 'yes/always'; these answers were transformed to 'not/sometimes adherent' and 'yes/fully adherent'.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not sometimes" to emphasize that something is generally absent or does not occur regularly, rather than as a mere negation of 'sometimes'. For greater clarity, consider replacing "not sometimes" with adverbs like "rarely" or "seldom".

Common error

Avoid using "not sometimes" when a simpler negative adverb such as "never" or "rarely" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound convoluted. For example, instead of writing 'I do not sometimes feel overwhelmed', write 'I rarely feel overwhelmed'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not sometimes" functions as an adverbial modifier, negating the occurrence of an event or state on an occasional basis. As shown by Ludwig, it serves to emphasize the infrequency or absence of something at certain times.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not sometimes" is a grammatically sound construction used to stress the infrequency of an event. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it appears predominantly in neutral to formal contexts like news, science, and business communications. While grammatically correct, alternatives such as "rarely" or "seldom" may offer more concise phrasing. The key takeaway is to use "not sometimes" deliberately to highlight the lack of regularity, as demonstrated by the examples provided by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rarely

Emphasizes the infrequency of an event.

infrequently

Highlights the lack of frequent occurrence.

seldom

Indicates that something happens very rarely.

hardly ever

Expresses a low probability of occurrence.

almost never

Suggests that something is close to never happening.

not often

Directly negates the frequency of an event.

on rare occasions

Focuses on the few instances when something occurs.

scarcely

Highlights the limited occurrence of something.

not regularly

Indicates that something does not happen on a consistent basis.

uncommonly

Emphasizes the unusual nature of an event's occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "not sometimes" in a sentence?

Use "not sometimes" to emphasize that something doesn't occur occasionally or regularly. For example, "It's not sometimes the decisions you make, but the decisions you don't make, that are key."

What are some alternatives to "not sometimes"?

You can use alternatives like "rarely", "infrequently", or "seldom" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to use "not sometimes"?

Yes, "not sometimes" is grammatically correct, although it can sometimes sound more formal or emphatic than simpler alternatives like "rarely".

What's the difference between "not sometimes" and "never"?

"Not sometimes" implies that something might occur under very specific or unusual circumstances, while "never" indicates that something absolutely will not happen. "Not sometimes" suggests rarity, but "never" suggests impossibility.