The Best Of The Grammar Diva
Originally Published July 5, 2013
Sometimes, sometime, and some time may look very similar, but each has a different meaning. You probably haven’t thought about it much (or at all), and you have likely used them correctly, but they can cause confusion.
Sometimes indicates a certain frequency with which something happens. It really means some of the time. For example:
Sometimes we go to the movies on Saturdays. (Some of the time we go to the movies on Saturday, and other times we don’t.)
Sometime, without the s, is different. It means at some certain point in time. For example:
Please come visit me sometime after I move .
I will be moving out of state sometime in September.
Some time is obviously two separate words and different from the other two. You pause between the two words when you correctly use some time. Some time means exactly that — a certain amount of time. For example:
Do you have some time to help me with my move?
I will have some time next week to meet with you.
To sum up:
Sometimes indicates frequency.
Sometime indicates a certain point in time.
Some time indicates an amount of time.
Sometimes I think that I might have some time to have fun sometime in the future when I don’t have a blog post to write!
(But, of course, I love writing these blog posts, so that was just an example!)
Happy Chanukah to All Who Celebrate!
GRAMMAR DIVA NEWS
I will be releasing the following two books later this month or early next month:
A collection of three books that make up a complete grammar reference:
*The Best Little Grammar Book Ever! (second editiong) – the reference
* The Best Little Grammar Workbook Ever! – the accompanying workbook
*Does Your Flamingo Flamenco? – the dictionary of over 200 confusing word pairs, word groups, and idioms
Will make a great holiday gift – it should be out before Christmas! (print book only for now)
Price of three books separately – $37/ Price of the collection – $25
What a deal!
Thinking of self-publishing?
Available on Kindle as a preorder at $3.99
Release date January 3
Two Great Gift Books!
Sometime is also an adjective. “I was a sometime guest blogger for the Grammar Diva” (just kidding)
That’s true. Good point!
Arlene, wouldn’t sometime more accurately be an uncertain time in the future rather than a certain time?
Yes, you are being more precise than I was. I think I was using certain more loosely than you interpreted (my fault). I didn’t really mean a time that was certain, meaning definite. I just meant at some time in the future. Thanks for clarifying!
I really thought that at some time in the future, I would write a blog to rival Arlene Miller’s blogs on grammar. But I realised that sometimes I am delusional. Perhaps sometime next year, I will be able to out-blog her.
I love it! Thank you!
breakout vs. break out
I would say breakout as a noun or adjective, but definitely break out as a verb.
Yes. Same with backup (noun) and back up (verb). But I notice, especially in US English this seems to be slipping and I’m seeing backup being used more and more as a verb.
Yes, and setup and set up and more. Many people just don’t know the difference. Or care. Thanks for the comment!