there are occasions

USAGE SUMMARY

The term "there are occasions" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to specific times or events, especially when they might be infrequent or special. For example, "There are occasions when a birthday party is simply the best way to celebrate".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There are occasions when mistakes are made".

The Guardian

There are occasions when the agencies themselves are to blame.

The Telegraph

There are occasions when I miss interviewing people".

The Guardian

Clearly there are occasions when police need to be involved".

The Guardian

There are occasions when people will start to freak out.

The New Yorker

However, there are occasions when a few protective relays incorrectly operate or fail to operate.

Practical Power System Protection

There are occasions where these modeling constructs are insufficient, and more advanced capabilities are required.

Semantic Web for the Working Ontologist Effective Modeling in RDFS and OWL

However, there are occasions when you don't have time to inform them," he said.

Columbia University

"There are occasions in this business, lady, when tempo is very imperative".

The New Yorker

There are occasions when the result outshines the performance, and this was perhaps one.

Independent

There are occasions when the title of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" seems all too apposite.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "there are occasions" to introduce exceptions or infrequent events, providing context to a general statement. For example, "While most flights are on time, "there are occasions" when weather causes delays".

Common error

Avoid starting multiple consecutive sentences with "there are occasions" as it can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your sentence structure by using adverbs of frequency like "sometimes", "occasionally", or rephrasing to directly state the circumstance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there are occasions" functions as an existential clause introducing situations or instances where something occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, showing it's used to denote that certain events or circumstances exist, though not necessarily regularly.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

18%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "there are occasions" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as supported by Ludwig AI. It serves to introduce specific instances or situations that occur sometimes, but not always. Predominantly found in news, media, scientific, and academic contexts, this phrase is versatile and suitable for neutral to formal communication. While "there are occasions" is useful, it is important to avoid overuse and vary sentence structure for better readability. Consider alternatives such as "there are instances" or "sometimes there are" to enhance writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there are instances

Replaces "occasions" with "instances", suggesting specific occurrences of something.

there are times

Uses "times" instead of "occasions", emphasizing specific moments when something occurs.

there are instances where

Adds "where" to specify that instances lead to certain results, clarifying a relationship between two facts.

there are circumstances

Substitutes "occasions" with "circumstances", highlighting the conditions affecting an event.

sometimes there are

Inverts the structure slightly, putting "sometimes" at the beginning to emphasize frequency.

it sometimes happens that

Emphasizes the happening or occurrence of events, specifying the event is occasional by using "sometimes".

it happens sometimes that

Reorders the sentence to emphasize the occurrence and condition.

on occasion

Condenses the phrase into a shorter, more formal expression.

occasionally there are

Starts with "occasionally" to underline infrequency.

there can be instances

Uses "can be" to express possibility instead of a definite fact.

FAQs

How can I use "there are occasions" in a sentence?

"There are occasions" is typically used to introduce specific instances or situations. For example, "There are occasions when silence is the best response."

What are some alternatives to "there are occasions"?

You can use alternatives like "there are instances", "there are times", or "sometimes there are" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "there are occasions" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to highlight that something happens sometimes, but not always. For example, "There are occasions when the simplest solution is the most effective."

What's the difference between "there are occasions" and "frequently"?

"There are occasions" suggests something happens sometimes, but is not a regular event, while "frequently" implies that something happens often. So, there are occasions when I eat pizza, but I frequently eat salad.