on separate occasions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on separate occasions" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happened at different times rather than simultaneously. Example: "I have met her on separate occasions, each time at different conferences."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The measurement was carried out by one trained observer, who measured all images in duplicate on separate occasions.

British Medical Journal

"In fact, each of them vetted Jack on separate occasions".

The New York Times

At least 10 of the animals were killed on separate occasions, according to police.

The Washington Post

Reliability was improved more by repeated testing on separate occasions than by repeated testing by different raters.

The Journal of Pain

Nicotine and placebo were given on separate occasions approximately 1 week apart with time of injection kept constant.

NeuroImage

Q Two large portions of the ceiling in my condominium collapsed on separate occasions two weeks apart.

The New York Times

The vehicles were detected on separate occasions near Alvie on the evening of Friday 29 March.

BBC

On separate occasions, the committee also heard from his adviser and the other postdoc.

Science Magazine

The analyzed data were taken from the same database and analyzed twice on separate occasions by two observers.

Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

In recent years, illness had forced him to step back from his role as CEO of Apple on separate occasions.

TechCrunch

Among the allegations are that Mr Harris inappropriately touched girls on separate occasions when asked to sign autographs.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on separate occasions" to clearly indicate that events or actions occurred at different, non-simultaneous times. This helps avoid ambiguity, especially when describing research methodologies or recounting events.

Common error

Avoid using "on separate occasions" when describing events that happened concurrently. This phrase specifically denotes events occurring at different times, not simultaneously.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on separate occasions" functions as an adverbial phrase. It modifies a verb or clause by specifying when an action occurred, indicating that it happened at distinct, non-simultaneous times. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "on separate occasions" is a versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate that events or actions transpired at different times. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage. Its frequent presence in scientific literature, news articles, and formal writing suggests a neutral to formal register. Related phrases include "at different times" and "in distinct instances", offering alternative ways to convey the same meaning. When using this phrase, ensure that it accurately reflects non-simultaneous events to maintain clarity and avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on different instances

Replaces "separate" with "different" and keeps "instances", maintaining a high degree of semantic similarity.

at different times

Replaces the preposition "on" with "at" and uses a more direct expression for differing instances.

in distinct instances

Replaces "separate" with "distinct" and "occasions" with "instances", emphasizing the individuality of each event.

on multiple occasions

Replaces "separate" with "multiple", focusing on the number of times something happened.

at various junctures

Substitutes "occasions" with the more formal "junctures", implying specific points in time.

at discrete moments

Uses "discrete" to stress the separate and individual nature of the moments.

at spaced intervals

Emphasizes the time gap between the events.

at individual junctures

Highlights the individuality of each time the event occurred using the word "individual".

on sundry instances

Employs "sundry", a more formal term for "various", to modify "instances".

in isolated incidents

Focuses on the events as individual incidents, possibly unconnected.

FAQs

How can I use "on separate occasions" in a sentence?

The phrase "on separate occasions" indicates that something happened more than once, but not at the same time. For instance, "I saw her "on separate occasions" at different conferences".

What are some alternatives to "on separate occasions"?

You can use phrases like "at different times", "in distinct instances", or "on different instances" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it more formal to say "on separate occasions" or "at different times"?

"On separate occasions" tends to be slightly more formal than "at different times", but both are acceptable in most contexts.

What's the difference between "on separate occasions" and "on multiple occasions"?

"On separate occasions" emphasizes that the events happened at different times, while "on multiple occasions" simply highlights that the events happened more than once, without necessarily specifying that they were at different times.