Correct Use
- Some time is a two-word phrase which means a “certain period or span of time.”
- Sometime refers to an unspecified point of time.
- Sometimes is synonymous with “occasionally,” “at times,” and “now and then.”
The Difference Between “Some Time,” “Sometime,” and “Sometimes”
We don’t blame you for looking up the difference between some time, sometime, and sometimes. After all, they’re nearly identical words with similar meanings. Sometimes the best thing to do is to take some time to expand your vocabulary. You’ll understand the difference sometime, like right after reading this blog.
Some Time
Some time is a phrase consisting of two separate words. In this case, “some” works as an adjective to describe “time,” a noun. Some time refers to a certain period or span of time.
We should take some time to figure out what’s killing the garden.
Some time can also mean “a long time” or “quite a while.”
It’s going to take some time for those flowers to grow back.
It’s going to take a long time for those flowers to grow back.
It’s going to take quite a while for those flowers to grow back.
Sometime
Sometime is an adverb that represents an unspecified point in time. Often, sometime can be substituted with “someday” or “sooner or later.”
Let’s hang out sometime.
Let’s hang out someday.
Let’s hang out sooner or later.
In extremely rare occurrences, sometime can also be used as an adjective to mean “former.” It has also been used to mean “occasional.” To avoid confusing your readers, it’s best to avoid using this word in these ways, as it is uncommon and not always accepted.
Luisa was a sometime tennis player turned coach.
Luisa was a former tennis player turned coach.
Sometimes
Sometimes is an adverb of frequency that means “occasionally,” “at times,” and “now and then.”
Sometimes I like to read fiction, but most of the time I prefer non-fiction.
My young nephew gets hyper sometimes, and he’ll run around the entire house.
Things like that happen sometimes.
Avoid Mixing up Homophones
Mixing up these words can happen to even the most advanced writers. That’s why it’s helpful to have a writing assistant, like LanguageTool, that can pick up on these errors and many more, while also offering a myriad of other improvement suggestions.
