that happens randomly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that happens randomly" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adverbial phrase and can be used to describe any action or event that happens unpredictably and without pattern. For example: "I like to try new recipes that happen randomly".

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

(Poznan) "That was something that was settled with a draw, as far as I remember, meaning that it was random, so it wasn't really a demand I made, because I wanted to join, it was just a crucial factor to me, deciding if I wanted to join or not, because you can't really meet a demand, when it's something that happens randomly, and then it was kind of lucky".

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

According to analysis by Climate Central, "13 of the hottest 15 years on record have all occurred since 2000 and... the odds of that happening randomly without the boost of global warming is 1 in 27 million".

Huffington Post

d) Bias can be introduced in multiple ways (see below); for example, use of several equivalent methods, with selective reporting of the method that happens, perhaps randomly, to give the most favorable results.

Clinical Proteomics

In order to highlight the shaping role of selective evolution, the components of a CV are then modified by subtracting a statistical background reflecting the viewpoint of the neutral theory of evolution that mutations happen randomly at molecular level.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

"The negative thing that happened was dealing randomly with the matter and the poor education of citizens," the doctor said.

The New York Times

Which particular norm appears first depends on initial conditions and on purely accidental events, such as the specific pair of agents that happened to be (randomly) paired at a certain time.

Plosone

This is a rather unique addition, for it happens randomly.

WikiHow

"It's totally based on having fun and based on humanity and the weird edges and cool things that happen when people just randomly run into each other, these vectors," he said.

Huffington Post

In Table 1, the variables "Disabled in household" and "male absent households" reflect associations with food sufficiency that happen more or less randomly across clusters.

BMC Health Services Research

During this phase, random noise was added to the striatal input of the primary motor module so that selection could happen randomly at the beginning.

Biological Cybernetics

Before the attack there were two things that happened – there was a large defection of soldiers and there was talk [from the defectors] that the regime forces had been given orders to fire randomly into al-Khalidiyeh".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing research findings, use "that happens randomly" to indicate events or distributions that lack a discernible pattern or cause. This clarifies that observed outcomes are statistically consistent with chance.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because something "that happens randomly" is correlated with another event, there is a causal relationship. Random occurrences can coincide without one influencing the other. Always investigate potential confounding factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that happens randomly" functions as an adverbial clause, modifying a verb or a clause to indicate that an event occurs without a predictable pattern or cause. According to Ludwig, it describes actions or events occurring unpredictably.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

34%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "that happens randomly" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe events lacking predictability or intentionality. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts. Predominantly found in scientific, news, and wiki sources, it serves to emphasize the role of chance. When using this phrase, avoid assuming causation from correlation. Alternatives include "occurs by chance" or "is unpredictable". By keeping this writing guidance in mind, you can ensure correct and precise use of the expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it occurs by chance

Focuses on the element of chance as the primary driver.

it's a random occurrence

Highlights the event as an instance of randomness.

it's unpredictable

Emphasizes the inability to foresee the event.

it's not planned

Focuses on the absence of intentional design.

it's a fluke

Suggests an unusual or unlikely event.

it's coincidental

Highlights the simultaneous occurrence of events by chance.

it's haphazard

Implies a lack of organization or structure.

it's arbitrary

Suggests a decision or event based on random choice.

it's unintentional

Focuses on the lack of deliberate intent.

it's fortuitous

Emphasizes the positive or lucky aspect of the event.

FAQs

How can I use "that happens randomly" in a sentence?

You can use "that happens randomly" to describe events or occurrences that are unpredictable and lack a discernible pattern. For example, "The errors in the data set seemed to be something "that occurs by chance" and didn't follow any logical rule."

What's a good alternative to "that happens randomly"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "occurs by chance", "occurs arbitrarily", or "is unpredictable".

Is it grammatically correct to say "that happens randomly"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase "that" introduces a relative clause, "happens" is the verb, and "randomly" is an adverb modifying the verb.

What's the difference between "that happens randomly" and "that is random"?

"That happens randomly" describes a process or event, while "that is random" describes a state or characteristic. For instance, "The distribution of errors is something that is random" versus "The distribution of errors is something that happens randomly".