Sometimes, sometime, and some time are very different words so you need to be careful when you use them. These are words that even native speakers get confused with!
Sometimes
Sometimes is an adverb of frequency. Use sometimes to talk about how often you do something. 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.
Learn more: English Grammar: Adverbs of frequency
Sometime
Sometime (no s) is also an adverb. Use it 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.
Sometime (no s) is also an adjective in American English, but it is rarely used. You will probably never need to use it in conversation, but you may hear it. Use it to talk about what someone does or is sometimes.
Example sentences:
She’s a sometime babysitter.
(Sometimes she babysits. She doesn’t do it all the time. She babysits once in a while.)Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing.
(This is a famous quote from an American football player and coach Vince Lombardi. It means that winning isn’t something that you do sometimes. It’s something that you do all the time!)
Some time
Some is used to talk about how much of the noun time you have or want. It’s like saying some food or some people:
Example sentences:
Do you have some time to check my essay?
She loves to spend some time in her garden.
Give me some time to think about it.
Some time is also used in a couple phrases.
The phrase for some time now means for a long period of time, not something that you just started recently.
We’ve been thinking about buying a house for some time now.
He has wanted a new car for some time.
The phrase in some time means in a long time.
I haven’t seen or heard from her in some time! What is she doing now?
aptunique says
very good, excellent, its very helpful.
chris says
Thank you so much for the useful explanation ! It helps a lot ! :D
kartik says
She fell asleep after sometime or sometimes
Melanie says
“She fell asleep after some time.”
Kris says
Thank a lot for enthusiasm about take the less for confusing.
I hope all of you give more title than for get more knowledge.
As always, Get respect for you.
Mark says
What about this use of “sometime?”
It may well seem from the outside to be a sometime odd institution.
Melanie says
“Somewhat” should be used instead:
“It may well seem from the outside to be a somewhat odd institution.”
= )
kainat batool says
beautiful ideas
Julio says
Teacher Melanie. Thanks. Very helpful.
Benedict Min says
Miss, Melanie. Please, I hope I didn’t offend you by writing this.
It is about Vince Lombardi quote. “Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing.” And you said this means “winning is something that you do sometimes. It’s something that you do all the time!”
I think there is something missing or typo.
It’s contradictory because if winning is an all the time thing then how this possibly means as your saying winning is something that you do sometimes.
Melanie says
You are absolutely correct, Benedict! Thank you for pointing out the typo! I have correct it now.
Amal Attaya says
Dear Melanie thanks a lot you very helpful and I benefit from all your articles