In a previous post, I explained the difference between everyday and every day. In this post, let’s look at three different words: sometimes, sometime & some time. Again, these are words that native speakers often have trouble with!
Sometimes is an adverb of frequency. Think of it as halfway between never and always.
Example sentences:Sometimes I am so tired I can’t get out of bed!
He sometimes plays tennis instead of going to the gym.
We like to go to the beach on vacation sometimes.
Sometime (no ‘s’) is also an adverb, but it is used to talk about an unspecified point in the future or an unspecified point in the past
Example sentences:We should get together for coffee sometime!
Sometime soon I would like you to clean your room!
The accident occurred sometime before 6pm.
When you use some time, it’s like saying ‘some food’ or ‘some people’ – some is used to talk about how much of the noun time you have or want.
Example sentences:Do you have some time to check my essay?
She has some time to spend in her garden now that she’s quit her job.
Take some time to think about the offer before you accept or decline it.
He was able to buy some time by saying his wife was out of town & he can’t make a decision without her.
(idiom – to buy time)
Melanie is a TESL-certified English teacher. She lives near Toronto, Canada. Through her blog, videos, podcasts, and social media, she helps thousands of people around the world improve their English. She makes English a little less confusing and a little more fun! She also helps people understand Canadian and American culture. She believes that natural interaction with a native speaker helps people practice what they have learned and builds their confidence with English!
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