very so often

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very so often" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "every so often," which means occasionally or from time to time. Example: "I like to go hiking every so often to enjoy nature and get some exercise."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But once every very so often, something truly different happens.

Huffington Post

Read the tips for a better experience! but if you end up with your locker looking messy once more do the steps again and make a note to clean it out very so often.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Much of the food is very fresh so often it's simply prepared, just grilled on an open fire.

Independent

But they acclimatized very quickly, so often by the second or third encounter they were no longer afraid".

The New York Times

As Adams put it, in the very language so often used to describe early Virginia, Smith's career "turned out a failure, and his ventures ended disastrously".

The New Yorker

The experiences we have when very young so often shape us, and I do think that without books such as Prince Cinders I would have fallen prey to the tyranny of the Disney princess complex.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The third measurement comes from Solar Probe, which whams through the field of view very quickly, every so often, to sense what's going on as well".

BBC

At the very least, every so often just stop for a minute and appreciate your freedoms and remember why you have them.

Huffington Post

It is so often very dark".

The Guardian - Arts

She is also very vocal, and every so often slaps him around his waist.

Independent

The authors said they had received an instructive lesson in the frequent unreliability of the very eyewitness identifications juries so often find persuasive.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "every so often" instead of "very so often". "Every so often" is the correct idiomatic expression to indicate something happens occasionally or from time to time.

Common error

Avoid substituting "every" with "very" in the phrase "every so often". "Very so often" is not a recognized or grammatically correct phrase in standard English. Double-check your writing to ensure you're using the established idiom.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very so often" is intended to function as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the frequency of an action. However, according to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "every so often."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "very so often" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The proper idiomatic expression is "every so often", which means occasionally or from time to time. As Ludwig AI suggests, sticking with "every so often" or other alternatives such as "occasionally" or "from time to time" will ensure clarity and grammatical correctness in your writing. Although some occurrences of the original query appear in various sources, its incorrect status suggests avoiding it in favor of its accepted alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every so often

Replaces "very" with "every" to form the correct idiomatic expression.

from time to time

Uses a different structure to convey the meaning of occasionally.

occasionally

A single-word adverb that directly expresses the meaning.

once in a while

An informal expression indicating infrequent occurrence.

at times

A shorter phrase denoting that something happens sometimes.

now and then

Similar to "from time to time" but slightly more informal.

on occasion

More formal way to express something that happens sometimes.

periodically

Suggests recurrence at generally regular intervals.

intermittently

Highlights that occurrences are not continuous.

at intervals

Implies that occurrences happen with some space in between.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "very so often"?

The correct and commonly accepted phrase is "every so often". "Very so often" is not considered grammatically correct.

Is "very so often" ever acceptable to use?

While you might encounter "very so often" in some contexts, it's generally considered incorrect. Stick to "every so often" for clear and proper communication.

What can I say instead of "very so often" or "every so often"?

Alternatives include "occasionally", "from time to time", or "once in a while", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How do I use "every so often" in a sentence?

You can use "every so often" to indicate something that happens intermittently. For example, "I like to visit my grandparents every so often to catch up".