sometimes before

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sometimes before" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an event or action has occurred at various times in the past, but not consistently or regularly. Example: "I have visited that museum sometimes before, but I can't recall the exact dates."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Sometimes, before,I was going into games and my mind wasn't right.

Independent

Sometimes before, he was too aggressive from certain positions in the court.

The Guardian - Sport

Sometimes before, we had a team that had a margin of security.

The Guardian - Sport

IFA supplementation during pregnancy, and sometimes before, is covered in many program guidelines.

Global Health Action

(Sometimes before the movie was over.

The New York Times

Two, three months go by sometimes before I get paid.

The New Yorker

Several white teams forced Fowler off their rosters, sometimes before he had even played a game.

The New York Times - Sports

I'm seven or eight months into the year sometimes before I'm even.

The New York Times - Magazine

Sometimes before a race, Merritt looked around the stadium, gazing at the lights.

The New York Times - Sports

Sometimes, before his hip became inflamed, he would go out drinking.

The New Yorker

Calcutta's first foreigners often died young, sometimes before they received mail from across the ocean.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sometimes before" to indicate an action or event that happens occasionally leading up to a specific point in time. This implies that the action doesn't happen every time, but does occur in some instances prior to the reference point.

Common error

Avoid using "sometimes before" when you mean something happens consistently prior to a specific event. "Sometimes before" indicates occasional occurrence, whereas "always before" suggests a consistent sequence. Replace "sometimes before" with "always before" or "consistently before" to communicate the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sometimes before" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the timing of an action. It specifies that the action occurs occasionally prior to a certain event or point in time. Ludwig provides examples showing how this phrase is used in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "sometimes before" is a grammatically correct and versatile adverbial phrase that indicates an action or event occurs occasionally prior to a specific point in time. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is commonly used across various contexts, including news, science, and informal writing, making it suitable for both formal and informal communication. While "sometimes before" implies occasional occurrence, it's important to avoid confusing it with phrases like "always before", which indicates consistent occurrence. Related phrases such as "occasionally prior to" and "from time to time earlier than" can be used as alternatives to add variety to writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

from time to time earlier than

Offers a common substitute for "sometimes" with "from time to time", emphasizing the irregular nature of the occurrence.

once in a while ahead of

Another idiomatic substitute, "once in a while", keeps the informal tone while still conveying the infrequent timing.

now and then prior to

Uses the idiomatic expression "now and then" instead of "sometimes" while maintaining a similar level of informality.

every so often preceding

Provides a different way to express occasional occurrence, replacing "sometimes" with "every so often" for variety.

occasionally prior to

Replaces "sometimes" with "occasionally" for a slightly more formal tone and emphasizes the temporal precedence.

at times preceding

Substitutes "sometimes" with "at times" and "before" with "preceding", altering the sentence structure and formality level.

on occasion earlier than

Uses "on occasion" instead of "sometimes" and includes "earlier than" to specify temporal order.

periodically ahead of

Replaces "sometimes" with "periodically" and uses "ahead of" instead of "before", changing the emphasis to timing.

sporadically previous to

Employs "sporadically" for a less frequent occurrence and uses "previous to" to denote a prior state.

infrequently in advance of

Indicates a rare occurrence using "infrequently" and replaces "before" with "in advance of" for a more formal register.

FAQs

How can I use "sometimes before" in a sentence?

Use "sometimes before" to indicate that an action or event occurs on occasion leading up to a particular moment or event. For example, "Sometimes before a race, Merritt looked around the stadium, gazing at the lights."

What phrases are similar to "sometimes before"?

Similar phrases include "occasionally prior to", "at times preceding", or "from time to time earlier than", which all denote actions occurring irregularly before a certain point.

Is it grammatically correct to say "sometimes before"?

Yes, "sometimes before" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to describe events that happen occasionally leading up to a specific time or event. Ludwig confirms this with numerous examples.

What's the difference between "sometimes before" and "always before"?

"Sometimes before" indicates that something happens occasionally in advance of a certain time, whereas "always before" means it happens consistently in advance of that time. The key difference is the frequency of the occurrence.