Sometime vs Sometimes: What's the Difference?
Quick Answer
Sometime = at an unspecified point in time
Sometimes = occasionally, now and then
Some time = a period/amount of time
The Three Forms
SOMETIME
At an unspecified time
"Let's meet sometime."
SOMETIMES
Occasionally
"I sometimes forget."
SOME TIME
A period of time
"I need some time."
When to Use Each
SOMETIME - Unspecified Point in Time
Use "sometime" when you don't know exactly when something will happen.
✔Call me sometime this week.
✔I'll finish this sometime tomorrow.
✔We should have coffee sometime.
SOMETIMES - Occasionally
Use "sometimes" to describe how often something happens (not always, not never).
✔I sometimes work from home.
✔Sometimes life is difficult.
✔She sometimes forgets her keys.
SOME TIME - A Period of Time
Use "some time" (two words) when referring to a duration or amount of time.
✔I need some time to think about this.
✔It takes some time to learn a language.
✔We haven't seen each other in some time.
Common Mistakes
✘I sometime eat at that restaurant.→ sometimes
✘Let's meet sometimes next week.→ sometime
✘I need sometime to decide.→ some time
Memory Trick
- • Sometimes has an "S" at the end = Sometimes happens (frequency)
- • Sometime = at some point in time (when)
- • Some time = some amount of time (duration)
Practice
Fill in the blank:
"I _____ make mistakes, but that's how I learn." (sometime / sometimes / some time)