one evening

USAGE SUMMARY

'one evening' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about a particular evening that happened in the past and could use it in the beginning or middle of a sentence. For example: "One evening, we went for a walk in the park."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

One evening, it was rabbit.

The New Yorker

One evening was hardly enough.

The New York Times - Arts

One evening the Loomises suggested a cocktail.

The New Yorker

One evening, Felix invited me to dinner.

The New Yorker

One evening Chink Simmons, a boyhood friend….

The New Yorker

One evening, in the basement of S.E.I.U.

The New Yorker

One evening a week, for eight weeks.

The New Yorker

One evening, Rossi let me tag along.

The New Yorker

One evening we had an attentive waitress.

The New York Times

One evening in 2006 comes to mind.

The New York Times

It changed one evening.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "one evening" to set a scene or introduce an event that occurred on a specific evening, providing a narrative hook for your writing.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple consecutive sentences or paragraphs with "one evening" to prevent monotony. Vary your sentence structure by using alternatives or providing additional context upfront.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "one evening" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an event occurred. It sets a temporal context, indicating that something happened on a particular evening. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's a commonly used introductory phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "one evening" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to introduce a specific, though unspecified, evening in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various writing contexts. Predominantly found in news and media, it serves to set the scene for a narrative or event. When employing this phrase, it is important to avoid overuse and maintain sentence variety. Alternatives such as "a certain evening" or "one night" can be used to add nuance. Its neutral register makes it appropriate for both formal and informal writing. Remember to establish context to enhance clarity and avoid monotony.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a particular evening

Highlights that the evening is distinct and important.

a certain evening

Emphasizes the specificity of the evening, suggesting it's noteworthy.

a single evening

Emphasizes the fact that it only happened in one specific evening.

during an evening

Focuses on an activity that happened within the span of an evening.

on an evening

A more formal way to introduce an evening event.

one particular night

Combines specificity of "particular" with the generality of "night".

one night

A simpler and more general alternative, referring to a night rather than specifically an evening.

on one occasion

Broader than just an evening, referring to any specific instance.

late one day

Indicates an event happening towards the end of a day, without specifically mentioning "evening".

one afternoon

Refers to the time of the day being the afternoon instead of the evening.

FAQs

How can I start a sentence with "one evening"?

Begin the sentence with "One evening," followed by a comma, and then describe what happened. For example: "One evening, "I decided to go for a walk"."

What words can I use instead of "one evening"?

Alternatives include "a certain evening", "on an evening", or simply "one night" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "one evening" or "that evening"?

"One evening" introduces a specific but unspecified evening in the past, while "that evening" refers to an evening already mentioned or understood in context. Choose the phrase that best fits the narrative flow.

Can "one evening" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "one evening" is suitable for both formal and informal writing. It is a neutral phrase and does not carry any specific connotation that would make it inappropriate for formal use.