once of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "once of" is not correct and usable in written English.
It appears to be a typographical error or a misphrasing, as the correct expression is likely "one of." Example: "He is one of the best players on the team."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Didn't meet him once of course..."....

Independent

David Hemp, once of Glamorgan and Warwickshire.

The Guardian - Sport

It's Matt Sweeney, the musician and producer, once of Chavez, once of Zwan.

The New York Times - Arts

He was a once of a kind epic force onstage.

Independent

Not all at once, of course, but still.

The New York Times - Sports

I didn't dump everything on them at once, of course.

The New Yorker

Edward Sanders had talked once of his father, Thomas's grandfather.

The New Yorker

The 'reveal' doesn't all happen at once of course.

The Guardian

Steven Lennon, once of Rangers, has seen both sides.

The Guardian - Sport

In goal was Ron-Robert Zieler, once of Northampton Town.

The Guardian - Sport

They have Gary Martin, once of Middlesbrough, in midfield.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a past affiliation, use "formerly of" or "previously of" instead of the grammatically incorrect "once of".

Common error

Avoid using "once of" when you mean "one of". "Once" refers to time, while "one" indicates a member of a group. Instead, use "one of" to indicate membership.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "once of" is typically intended to function as a prepositional phrase indicating past affiliation or as part of a larger expression. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically incorrect and should be replaced with "one of" or an alternative signifying past association, such as "formerly of".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "once of" appears frequently in various sources, as indicated by Ludwig, it is grammatically incorrect. It's often misused in contexts where the intended meaning is either "one of" (indicating membership) or to denote a past affiliation (better expressed as "formerly of" or "previously of"). Given its incorrectness, it is recommended to avoid using "once of" in formal writing. Instead, carefully consider the intended meaning and choose the appropriate grammatically correct alternative, such as "one of" or "formerly of". While it appears "Very common" due to frequency of errors it's incorrect usage impacts its reliability and should be avoided.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one of

Corrects the grammatical error, replacing "once" with "one" to indicate membership within a group.

formerly of

Replaces the entire phrase to indicate a past association or affiliation.

previously of

Similar to "formerly of", this option emphasizes a prior connection.

a past member of

A more explicit and descriptive alternative, clarifying the type of association.

used to be with

An informal way to express a past association with an organization or group.

at one time part of

Highlights that the association existed during a specific period.

had been associated with

A formal way to state a past connection or affiliation.

previously employed by

Specifically indicates a past employment relationship.

formerly worked at

Another alternative that focuses on past employment.

was once a part of

Expresses that something was a component of something else in the past.

FAQs

What does "once of" mean?

The phrase "once of" is generally a mistake and doesn't have a standard meaning. It's often intended to mean "one of", indicating that something is a member of a group, or to indicate past affiliation using phrases like "formerly of".

How to avoid mistakes with "once of"?

Always double-check whether you mean "one of", or if you're trying to indicate a past association. If it's a past association, use phrases like "formerly of" or "previously of".

Is "once of" grammatically correct?

No, "once of" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The intended meaning is usually conveyed using phrases like "one of" or indicating a past affiliation using "formerly of".

When should I use "formerly of" instead of "once of"?

Use "formerly of" to indicate a past association with a place, organization, or group. For example, "He was formerly of the New York Times". The phrase "once of" should not be used as it is grammatically incorrect; the similar-sounding phrase should be "one of".