sometimes through

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sometimes through" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs at irregular intervals or on certain occasions, often in relation to a process or experience. Example: "Sometimes through hard work and dedication, we achieve our goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hundreds of players leave football each year, sometimes through injury and often by being cut.

The New York Times - Sports

Not necessarily in person – sometimes through letters, sometimes through poems.

The Guardian - Film

(She ingested them, sometimes through a tube, while treading water).

The New York Times - Sports

I also like bonding with nature, sometimes through photography.

Cornell University

Lohan's has been a sluggishly downbeat narrative, peppered with occasional, desultory attempts at a comeback — sometimes through acting, sometimes through fashion design, sometimes through humanitarian work.

The New Yorker

Sometimes through its sheer unselfconscious earnestness, it packs a punch.

The Guardian - Film

I mention all this because the present debate on fishing and Brexit often obscures two vital points, sometimes through ignorance, sometimes through lies.

The Guardian - Opinion

They leave their identities behind and travel from place to place without an obvious destination, sometimes through empty forests, sometimes through cities and towns.

The Guardian

The game is brutally difficult, a war of inches in which you must take out soldiers one at a time, sometimes through stealth, sometimes through brute force.

The New York Times - Tech

And beyond the new schools, many existing schools are expanding enrollment, sometimes through branch campuses.

The New York Times

Sometimes the play is narrated through lyrical monologue and sometimes through choppier dialogue.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sometimes through", ensure that the context clearly indicates the variable or non-consistent nature of the method being described. This helps to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "sometimes through" in contexts where the "sometimes" is already implied. For example, instead of saying "progress is sometimes achieved through trial and error", consider "progress is achieved through trial and error" if the trial and error process isn't always successful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sometimes through" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating that an action or state is achieved occasionally or intermittently via a particular means. Ludwig AI shows that it describes a non-consistent method or channel through which something occurs.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

22%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sometimes through" serves as an adverbial modifier, denoting that a particular action or outcome is achieved intermittently rather than consistently by a specific method. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a variable or non-universal means. It's commonly found in News & Media, Science, and Academic sources, suggesting broad applicability across different writing styles. While grammatically sound, it's crucial to avoid redundancy by ensuring the "sometimes" isn't already implied within the context. Alternatives such as "occasionally by means of" or "at times via" can provide subtle variations in meaning and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on occasion through

Replaces "sometimes" with "on occasion", suggesting a less frequent occurrence.

at times via

Substitutes "sometimes" with "at times" and "through" with "via", offering a slightly different but similar expression.

from time to time through

Emphasizes that the action happens occasionally, replacing "sometimes" with "from time to time".

occasionally by means of

Replaces "through" with a more formal expression "by means of" while retaining the sense of intermittent action.

periodically via

Indicates that the action happens at certain periods, replacing "sometimes" with "periodically" and "through" with "via".

intermittently via

Replaces "sometimes" with "intermittently", emphasizing the irregular nature of the action, and substitutes "through" with "via".

sporadically through

Emphasizes the infrequent and irregular occurrence using "sporadically" instead of "sometimes".

every so often by

Uses an idiomatic expression "every so often" instead of "sometimes", indicating infrequent events, and uses "by" as a preposition.

at intervals via

Suggests that the action occurs at specific intervals, using "at intervals" instead of "sometimes" and "via" instead of "through".

now and then by

Uses "now and then" in place of "sometimes", implying less frequency, and uses "by" as a preposition.

FAQs

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

You can use "sometimes through" to indicate that a result is achieved via a specific method, but not consistently. For example, "Success is "sometimes through" hard work, but also through luck".

What are some alternatives to "sometimes through"?

Alternatives include "occasionally by means of", "at times via", or "on occasion through", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Is "sometimes through" grammatically correct?

Yes, "sometimes through" is grammatically correct. It functions as an adverb modifying the preposition "through", indicating the frequency of a particular means or method.

Which is correct, "sometimes through" or "always through"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings. "Sometimes through" indicates that something happens intermittently or occasionally, while "always through" indicates that something happens consistently or invariably. The choice depends on the intended meaning. For example, instead of "always through" you could use "always via".