occurs less often than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "occurs less often than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to compare the frequency of two events or phenomena, indicating that one happens with lower frequency than the other. Example: "In this study, we found that the rare species occurs less often than the common species in the same habitat."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

One research paper calculated that an equally wet month probably occurs less often than once a century.

Yale University

Research by Telep et al. [4] and Weisburd and Telep [5], which reviewed "hot spot" policing and crime displacement studies, report that displacement occurs less often than it is believed to occur.

Complex & Intelligent Systems

Negative κs result when agreement occurs less often than predicted by chance alone.

BMJ Open

Among patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin intensification to achieve glycemic targets occurs less often than clinically indicated.

BMC Endocrine Disorders

If gene conversion occurs less often than mutation, specific care must be taken to amplify homologous control regions in a population genetic study.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

While physicians can play an important role in reducing out-of-pocket drug cost burden for their Medicare Part D patients [ 6- 8], studies suggest that patients and physicians communicate infrequently about out-of-pocket costs [ 5, 7, 9, 10] and that this communication occurs less often than either of them would like [ 5, 7, 8].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Being a chief executive is lonely enough anywhere, but in a market this small and far away from everywhere else, opportunities for shoulder-rubbing and idea-swapping occur less often than they do in North America or Europe.

The New York Times

However, there are reports of FLR observations in the afternoon, though they do occur less often than in the morning.

Earth, Planets and Space

The absence of any significant tsunamis since that date suggests that tsunamis of equivalent height to storm waves with a 50-year return period occur less often than such storm waves.

Earth, Planets and Space

Larger ones occur less often than smaller ones do, and for more than half a century scientists have known that earthquakes of magnitude 2 occur roughly one-tenth as often as those of magnitude 1; those of magnitude 3 occur at one-tenth the rate of those of magnitude 2; and so on.

Science Magazine

Though not dispersal limited at the scale of the study area, the sister species occurred less often than expected at the same site, indicating past or present competition.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the frequency of two events, ensure that the subjects being compared are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of saying "errors occur less often than expected", specify "coding errors occur less often than design errors".

Common error

Avoid using double comparatives like "more less often than". It's grammatically incorrect and confusing. Stick to the simple comparative form: "occurs less often than".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "occurs less often than" functions as an adverbial phrase of comparison. It modifies a verb, indicating that an action or event happens with a lower frequency compared to another. Ludwig's examples showcase its utility in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

71%

News & Media

14%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "occurs less often than" is a grammatically correct comparative phrase used to describe events that happen with a lower frequency compared to others. As shown by Ludwig, it's most commonly used in scientific and academic contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in the compared subjects and avoid double comparatives. Some alternatives include "happens less frequently than" or "is less common than".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Happens less frequently than

Replaces "occurs" with "happens" and "often" with "frequently", maintaining the comparative sense.

Is less common than

Substitutes "occurs often" with "is common", offering a more direct comparison of prevalence.

Appears more rarely than

Uses "appears" instead of "occurs" and "rarely" to indicate lower frequency, providing a slightly different nuance.

Is seen less frequently than

Emphasizes observation with "is seen" and uses "frequently" for a more formal tone.

Transpires less often than

Replaces "occurs" with the more formal "transpires", suitable for academic or scientific writing.

Is not as frequent as

Uses a negative construction to express the same comparative idea, highlighting the lower frequency.

Has a lower incidence than

Employs "incidence" for a quantitative sense of frequency, useful in statistical or medical contexts.

Is observed with less frequency than

Combines "observed" with "frequency" for a more detailed and scientific expression of lower occurrence.

Presents itself less often than

Uses "presents itself" to describe the way something occurs, adding a layer of description.

Is found more infrequently than

Replaces "often" with "infrequently" and uses "is found" for a straightforward statement of prevalence.

FAQs

How can I use "occurs less often than" in a sentence?

You can use "occurs less often than" to compare the frequency of two events or phenomena, indicating that one happens with lower frequency than the other. For example: "Severe side effects "occur less often than" mild ones".

What are some alternatives to "occurs less often than"?

Some alternatives include "happens less frequently than", "is less common than", or "appears more rarely than". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "occurs more less often than"?

No, "occurs more less often than" is grammatically incorrect. Avoid using double comparatives. The correct phrase is "occurs less often than".

What is the difference between "occurs less often than" and "is less likely than"?

While both phrases indicate a lower probability, "occurs less often than" focuses on frequency, while "is less likely than" emphasizes probability. For example, "Rain occurs less often than sunshine" (frequency) vs. "It is less likely to rain than to be sunny" (probability).