Sometimes: Meaning & Examples
Let’s start with sometimes. This is an adverb of frequency, meaning it describes how frequently something happens. Sometimes means it happens on certain occasions, but not always.
- Sometimes I drive to school, and at other times I take the bus.
- His English is pretty good, but he sometimes makes grammar mistakes.
- When the weather is nice, we sometimes have a picnic by the river.
- More example sentences with sometimes
Sometimes is typically used with the simple present and simple past. It can be placed immediately before the main verb, or before the subject: Sometimes I drive to school / I sometimes drive to school. It can also be used at the end of the phrase: I drive to school sometimes.
Sometime: Meaning & Examples
Sometime (one word, without the S) is also an adverb, but it means “at an unspecified time in the future/past.”
- We should go out for coffee sometime.
- He’d like to talk to you sometime.
- Let’s get together sometime soon.
- I’ll call you sometime this afternoon.
- She quit her job sometime last year.
- More example sentences with sometime
Sometime is placed at the end of a phrase, as in the first two examples. When it is used like this, it means “in the future.” It can also be used in the structure sometime + a time period: sometime this week, sometime next year, sometime yesterday. When it is used with a time period (this afternoon, last year) then we can see from the sentence whether it is referring to an unspecified time in the future or past.
Some time: Meaning & Examples
Now let’s look at “some time” (two words). This means “a period of time”:
- Every evening I spend some time relaxing in the bath.
- He did volunteer work for some time in college.
- It will take some time to finish this project.
We don’t say how long the period of time is – it might be an hour, a couple of weeks, or a year. Some time can be used in the past, present, or future, as you can see from the three examples.
Review: Sometime vs. some time vs. sometimes
- sometimes refers to frequency; it means on occasion but not always
- sometime refers to an unspecified time in the past/future
- some time refers to a time period
Can you make your own example sentences with all three? It’s important to put what you’re learning into practice!
My English courses can help you do that – many of them have quizzes and practice exercises, and in some cases you can send me your answers for correction.
