some times

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "some times" is not correct in written English; the correct form is "sometimes." You can use "sometimes" to refer to an event or action that occurs occasionally or at certain times, but not always.
Example: "Sometimes I like to go for a walk in the evening to clear my mind."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Oh, we had some times!

The New Yorker

Some Times readers begged to differ.

The New York Times

Oh, those were some times.

The New York Times - Travel

But some times are better than others.

The New York Times

Some times Iris doubts her recollections.

The Guardian - Books

You have to slow down some times.

The New York Times

But some times are dustier than others.

The New York Times - Science

They play some times quarter, sometimes octet.

The New Yorker

It's good to see those swings some times".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Some-times these strips or filaments are stretched.

Boundary Value Problems

They were some-times moving, walking or feeding.

Apidologie

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "sometimes" as a single word to indicate occurrences that happen occasionally. Avoid using "some times" as two separate words in this context, as it is grammatically incorrect.

Common error

Avoid splitting "sometimes" into "some times" when you mean 'occasionally'. "Some times" might be appropriate if you are referring to multiple instances of a specific duration of time, but this is rare. Ensure you're not intending to use the single-word adverb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "some times" functions as a noun phrase (plural of "some time"), though its usage is often incorrect when the intended meaning is 'occasionally'. Ludwig indicates that the correct form for 'occasionally' is "sometimes".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Wiki

27%

Science

11%

Less common in

Huffington Post

8%

The New Yorker

5%

TechCrunch

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "some times" appears frequently, Ludwig advises that it's often grammatically incorrect. The intended meaning is usually 'occasionally', for which the correct form is the single-word adverb "sometimes". When "some times" is used, it technically functions as a noun phrase referring to multiple instances of "some time", but this is rare. Because of the high likelihood of error, it's best to default to using the single word "sometimes" unless you can explicitly confirm that you are referring to more than one undefined period.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sometimes

Single word adverb, replaces two word phrase for occasional occurrence.

occasionally

Formal adverb denoting infrequency.

at times

Prepositional phrase indicating intermittent instances.

from time to time

Idiomatic phrase describing periodic actions.

now and then

Informal expression for sporadic events.

on occasion

Formal phrase highlighting specific instances.

every so often

Describes events happening at irregular intervals.

once in a while

Indicates rare or infrequent occurrences.

periodically

Formal adverb signifying regular intervals.

intermittently

Describes actions ceasing and starting again.

FAQs

When should I use "sometimes" instead of "some times"?

"Sometimes" should be used when you want to express that something happens occasionally. "Some times" is grammatically incorrect in most contexts and should be avoided.

Is "some times" ever correct?

While rare, "some times" could be correct if you're referring to multiple specific instances of a duration. However, in nearly all cases where you intend to convey 'occasionally', you should use "sometimes".

What are common synonyms for "sometimes"?

Alternatives include "occasionally", "at times", or "from time to time" depending on the context. However, the phrase "some times" is generally not a suitable substitute.

How can I remember the difference between "sometimes" and "some times"?

Think of "sometimes" as a single idea—an action that occurs occasionally. If you find yourself writing "some times", double-check whether you really mean 'specific instances of time' or if you should be using the adverb "sometimes".