Sometime and Sometimes are two words in the English language that are often confused due to their similar spelling and pronunciation. However, they have different meanings and uses in a sentence.
Sometime vs Sometimes
Meaning of Sometime
Sometime is an adverb that means “at some unspecified point in time” or “formerly.” It refers to a time that is not specific or definite.
Meaning of Sometimes
Sometimes is an adverb that means “occasionally” or “at times.” It refers to an event that happens with some frequency but is not constant.
Differences between Sometime and Sometimes
| Sometime | Sometimes | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Indefinite or unspecified time in the future | Occasionally or at irregular intervals |
| Part of speech | Adverb or adjective | Adverb |
| Specificity | Refers to a single, unspecified instance | Refers to multiple instances |
| Tense usage | Used with present, past, or future tenses | Used with present tenses |
| Plural form | Does not have a plural form | Sometimes is a plural form |
| Time frame | Refers to a vague or unspecific time frame | Refers to a more specific time frame |
| Frequency | Implies rarity or infrequency | Implies periodicity or intermittence |
| Article usage | May require an article before a noun | Does not require an article before a noun |
| Gerund form | Sometime can be used as a gerund | Cannot be used in gerund form |
| Formality | Generally considered more formal than sometimes | Sometimes is more casual and informal |
| Collocation | Collocates with nouns to describe a former occupation or status | Does not have any specific collocations |
| Etymology | Comes from the Old English “sumtīd” meaning some time | Comes from the Middle English “sumtyme” meaning at times |
Usage of Sometime
- Used as an adverb to refer to an unspecified time in the past or future.
- Used as an adjective to describe someone who was formerly something. For ex. a sometime actor.
- Used as a noun to describe someone who does something occasionally. For ex. a sometime smoker.
Examples of Sometime
- I will visit you sometime next week.
- She used to be a sometime model.
- I will meet you in the park sometime this evening.
- I remember sometime in the 1990s when we had a same situation.
- He was a sometime professor who taught classes on occasion.
Usage of Sometimes
- Used as an adverb to describe an action that happens occasionally.
- Used to introduce a clause that describes an occasional action or event.
Examples of Sometimes
- I go for running in the morning sometimes
- It’s hard to get up early sometimes on weekends.
- it’s better to be quiet sometimes than to say something rude.
- I like to try new food items sometimes.
Conclusion
Sometime and Sometimes are two commonly confused words in the English language. Sometime refers to an unspecified point in time or a former state or action, while Sometimes refers to an occasional event or action. Understanding the differences between these two words is important for using them correctly in a sentence.