there were many occasions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'there were many occasions' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you are trying to refer to multiple events or times that have occurred. For example: "There were many occasions during my childhood when my parents took me to the park".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

There were many occasions when he could have lynched me.

The Guardian - Money

There were "many" occasions when Court "engaged in abusive conduct" at Maryland, the report explained.

The Washington Post

There were many occasions on which he arrived too late to prevent an unfortunate death.

The New Yorker

"There were many occasions when I was being battered in the high seas.

The Guardian - Film

There were many occasions when a hasty escape to the sanctity of my apartment reinforced my resolve to remain single.

The New York Times

There were many occasions when I felt like hanging up my tatty trainers and going back into retirement.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

There are many occasions on which the cinematography can be carried out at normal speeds.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"There are many occasions I get told off like I am 12 years old," she said, with a laugh.

The New York Times

Nowadays in various daily, occupational and training activities, there are many occasions with forces supported in hands acting at various magnitudes, elevations, and orientations with substantial horizontal components.

Journal of Biomechanics

"Now there are many occasions when we try to tailor our candidates to the minor parties," he said.

The New York Times

However, there are many occasions where controlling the variation of mud properties due to disintegration of additives is barely possible, resulting in stuck pipe, kick incident or even loss of wells.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "there were many occasions" to clearly indicate that an event happened repeatedly. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid overuse of passive voice when using "there were many occasions". Instead of saying "mistakes were made on many occasions", try "we made mistakes on many occasions" for a more direct and active sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there were many occasions" functions as an introductory phrase indicating that something happened frequently or repeatedly. It sets the stage for describing multiple instances of an event or situation. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "there were many occasions" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to indicate the frequent occurrence of an event. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase works well across various contexts, including news, science, and general narratives. When writing, remember to maintain an active voice and choose synonyms carefully to match your desired emphasis. This phrase is a versatile tool for conveying repetition and frequency effectively. The phrase exhibits a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal purposes. Use this knowledge to enhance clarity and impact in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there were frequent instances

Replaces "many occasions" with "frequent instances", emphasizing the regularity of the events.

there were numerous times

Substitutes "many occasions" with "numerous times", highlighting the count of occurrences.

there was a multitude of instances

Replaces "many" with "a multitude", suggesting a large number of occurrences.

there were several instances

Replaces "many" with "several", indicating a moderate number of occurrences.

there were countless times

Emphasizes the high number of occurrences, suggesting they are too many to count.

there were a number of instances

Replaces "many" with "a number", offering a more neutral way to indicate multiple occurrences.

there were repeated instances

Highlights the repetitive nature of the events.

it often happened that

Changes the structure to focus on the habitual nature of the events, rather than the specific number of occasions.

it frequently occurred that

Emphasizes the regularity of the events with a more formal tone.

it was a common occurrence

Shifts the focus to the commonness of the occurrence, rather than the explicit number of times.

FAQs

How can I use "there were many occasions" in a sentence?

You can use "there were many occasions" to indicate repeated instances of an event. For example, "There were many occasions when I missed the bus".

What can I say instead of "there were many occasions"?

You can use alternatives like "there were frequent instances", "there were numerous times", or "it often happened that".

Is it better to say "there were many occasions" or "there were several occasions"?

The choice depends on the number of occurrences. "There were many occasions" suggests a larger number than "there were several occasions", which indicates a moderate amount.

What is the difference between "there were many occasions" and "it was a common occurrence"?

"There were many occasions" focuses on the number of times something happened, while "it was a common occurrence" emphasizes that something frequently happened or was typical.