occasional quality

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "occasional quality" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has a quality or characteristic that appears from time to time rather than consistently. Example: "The occasional quality of the service at the restaurant made it hard to recommend to friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

While my appetite for occasional quality red meat remains undiminished, I suggest that de-emphasising processed and non-organic meats is a good strategy for those wishing to save their bacon.

The Guardian

Mr. Angle here — as in "Fancy Free" and other current repertory — has an occasional quality of vulnerable open-heartedness beneath his great elegance of bearing and personal beauty, which help make him one of the company's most watchable artists.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Oregon pinot gris is dry, light-bodied and lightly fruity, with an occasional toasty quality and sometimes even a hint of fizz to it.

The New York Times - Food

High frequency in-situ P, ammonium (NH4+) and dissolved oxygen measurements, alongside occasional water quality measurements, assessed changes in nutrient concentrations and productivity in the sedimentation pond of a treatment wetland between March and June.

Science of The Total Environment

An occasional tremulous quality in Ms. Nilsson's singing suggests why she was wise to pace herself at this stage: it takes time to learn to control naturally enormous voices, and Ms. Nilsson was still learning about hers.

The New York Times - Arts

The last five songs of the album have been described as having "an occasional pastoral quality" and being "pensive and atmospheric".

Wikipedia

Significant need exists in the developing world to transition from occasional groundwater-quality surveys to routinely sampled groundwater-quality network monitoring programmes that provide better safeguard of resources.

Groundwater for Sustainable Development

For all his occasional graceless qualities, Ronaldo remains a high-class footballing terminator.

The Guardian - Sport

And with occasional caveats, the quality has always been good".

The New York Times

For all that this final provided only the occasional spasm of quality, the victory was one for Portugal, with its substantial immigrant community here in France, long to savour.

The Guardian - Sport

He's not as rigid as Richard M. Nixon, the yardstick of presidential stiffness, but he doesn't have that occasional loosey-goosey quality often seen in his father, and there are never any of the swingy verbal improvisations that were the hallmark of Bill Clinton.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "occasional quality", ensure the context clearly indicates what the usual or expected level of quality is. This helps to highlight the deviation.

Common error

Avoid using "occasional quality" when you mean consistent or reliable quality. "Occasional" suggests irregularity, not dependability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "occasional quality" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It describes the nature of the noun, indicating that the quality is not consistently present but appears from time to time. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, presenting examples where the phrase is used to qualify various subjects.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "occasional quality" is used to describe something that exhibits good quality at irregular intervals, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's grammatically correct and finds use in various contexts, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedias. While alternatives like "sporadic quality" or "intermittent quality" offer similar meanings, the specific choice depends on the nuance you wish to convey. When employing "occasional quality", be sure to clarify the expected baseline quality and avoid using it to describe something intended to be consistently good.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sporadic quality

Replaces "occasional" with "sporadic", emphasizing the irregular nature of the quality.

intermittent quality

Uses "intermittent" to highlight the stop-and-start nature of the quality.

periodic quality

Suggests that the quality appears at generally regular intervals, though not constant.

infrequent quality

Emphasizes the rarity of the quality.

rare quality

Highlights how uncommon the quality is.

isolated instance of quality

Focuses on the quality being a one-off or unusual occurrence.

quality now and then

A more colloquial way to express that the quality is not always present.

quality from time to time

Indicates that quality appears at unpredictable times.

chance quality

Emphasizes that the quality is a matter of luck or circumstance.

hit-or-miss quality

Implies that the quality is inconsistent and unreliable.

FAQs

How to use "occasional quality" in a sentence?

You can use "occasional quality" to describe something that sometimes has good qualities but not consistently. For example, "The restaurant had "occasional quality" in their dishes, but the service was always excellent".

What can I say instead of "occasional quality"?

You can use alternatives like "sporadic quality", "intermittent quality", or "rare quality" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "occasional quality" or "frequent quality"?

"Occasional quality" and "frequent quality" describe different scenarios. "Occasional" means the quality is not consistent, while "frequent" implies the quality is often present.

What's the difference between "occasional quality" and "consistent quality"?

"Occasional quality" suggests that the good quality appears irregularly, whereas "consistent quality" means the quality is reliable and always present.