on either occasion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on either occasion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to two specific instances or events that have been previously mentioned or are known to the reader. Example: "On either occasion, the results were remarkably similar, indicating a consistent pattern."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

No one was injured on either occasion.

The New York Times

In order to investigate typicality effects for individual participants, each item (N = 78, grouped into the HT and LT sets) was given a combined score corresponding to the number of times correctly named across both pre-therapy assessments (e.g., 0 = not named on either occasion, 1 = named on one occasion, 2 = named on both occasions).

Aphasiology

Clearly, his heart was not in it on either occasion.

The Economist

Kavanagh denied this, saying: "We were not flat-footed on either occasion".

The Guardian

What he neglected to mention on either occasion was who was going to pay.

The Guardian - Opinion

Philippe Coutinho had two golden opportunities in the first half, but failed to hit the target on either occasion.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

They were not for a year on either occasions but it was very nice.

The Guardian - Sport

We found no evidence that women were more likely than men to experience depression, either on one occasion or persistently.

BMJ Open

And in fact it was not originally his intention to do so on this occasion either.

Independent

There were few questions on that occasion, either, or as he visited other weapons stores across the city in the following months until he had bought a total of 14 assault rifles and nine other weapons for nearly $25,000.

The Guardian

I don't think anybody wanted to play Titus on this occasion, either; but I decided if I was going to do it, I might as well go for broke and not try to cover my ass.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "on either occasion", ensure that the two occasions you are referring to are clearly defined or have been previously mentioned in the text to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "on either occasion" when you mean "on each occasion". "Either" refers to one of two options, while "each" refers to every one of the options. For example, don't say "The outcome was poor on either occasion" if the outcome was poor at every opportunity; instead, use "The outcome was poor on each occasion."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on either occasion" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify when or under what circumstances an action or event occurred. It indicates that something did not happen or apply during two separate, previously specified times. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

36%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on either occasion" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adverbial phrase that indicates something did not occur in two separate instances. Ludwig AI validates its usage across a range of contexts, predominantly in news, scientific articles, and general writing. While appropriate in formal and informal settings, it's crucial to ensure the two occasions are clearly defined for clarity. Alternatives such as "in either instance" or "in neither case" can be used to achieve a similar meaning. Remember to avoid confusing it with "on each occasion", which has a different meaning. Ultimately, this phrase is a valuable tool for precise communication when referring to two specific instances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in either instance

Replaces "occasion" with "instance", a close synonym, slightly more formal.

in either situation

Substitutes "occasion" with "situation", emphasizing the circumstances.

on both instances

Uses "both" instead of "either", focusing on the two instances collectively.

neither time

Simplifies the phrase, focusing on the lack of success at two different times.

in neither case

Replaces "occasion" with "case", implying specific scenarios or events.

on neither of the two occasions

Expands the phrase to explicitly state that there are two occasions and neither was successful

on both of those occasions

Uses a more descriptive phrasing emphasizing the specific two occasions previously mentioned.

on no occasion

Expresses a complete absence of something happening, with less direct relation to an original pair of occasions.

on neither occasion

A slightly emphatic rewording of the original query

nevertheless

Implies that something didn't happen previously. Loosely related to the meaning of original query.

FAQs

How can I use "on either occasion" in a sentence?

The phrase "on either occasion" is used to indicate that something did not happen or was not true in two separate instances. For example, "He tried to start the car twice, but it wouldn't start "on either occasion"."

What's a more formal alternative to "on either occasion"?

A more formal alternative would be "in either instance" or "in either case". These alternatives maintain a similar meaning while using more formal vocabulary.

Is it better to say "on either occasion" or "on both occasions"?

The choice between "on either occasion" and "on both occasions" depends on the context. "On either occasion" emphasizes that something didn't happen in both instances, whereas "on both occasions" simply refers to the two instances. For example, “he didn't succeed "on either occasion"” means he failed both times.

What does "on either occasion" imply about the number of times something occurred?

"On either occasion" implies that there were exactly two opportunities or instances, and it's being specified that something didn't happen in either of those two instances. It’s similar to saying that of two possibilities, neither resulted in the desired outcome.