Some time ago (but not in a galaxy far, far away), sometime, sometimes, and some time experienced an identity crisis. When was one word correct and not another?
“Sometime” means “at an indefinite time in the future.” It acts as an adverb and answers the question of when or how often. For example, “I plan to see my grandmother sometime.” The plan is still hazy; therefore, I turn to a word that is inherently “indefinite.”
“Sometimes” means “now and then.” Like “sometime,” it acts as an adverb describing how often an event occurs. “I sometimes see my grandmother” means I see her irregularly. A few weeks, months, or even years pass between visits.
“Some time” refers to “a span of time.” The two words are a noun – “time” – and an adjective – “some.” While the two words speak to time and frequency, they are not an adverb. They typically operate as an object: “I need some time to plan a trip to my grandmother’s house” or “I plan to spend some time with my grandmother this summer.”
(And, yes, I will be going over the bridge and through the woods to get to my grandmother’s house.)
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