Sometime vs. Sometimes vs. Some Time: What’s the Difference?

These three expressions — sometime, sometimes, and some time — are easy to mix up because they sound similar.

But their meanings are completely different.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Sometime → at an unspecified time ⏰
• Sometimes → occasionally 🔁
• Some time → a period or amount of time ⏳

1. Sometime: At an Unspecified Time

Meaning

“Sometime” (one word) is an adverb that means at an unknown or unspecified time in the past or future.
It refers to when something happens — not how often.

Examples (10 total)

1. Let’s meet sometime next week.
2. He visited Japan sometime last year.
3. We should talk sometime soon.
4. I’ll call you sometime tomorrow.
5. The store opened sometime in 2010.
6. They met sometime before the party.
7. I’ll finish that project sometime later.
8. She plans to move sometime in March.
9. The movie was released sometime in the ’90s.
10. Let’s catch up sometime soon!

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with “at some point,” use sometime.

Let’s meet sometime soon = Let’s meet at some point soon.

2. Sometimes: Occasionally or From Time to Time

Meaning

“Sometimes” (with an s) is an adverb of frequency that means occasionally or not always.
It tells how often something happens.

Examples (10 total)

1. I sometimes go jogging in the morning.
2. She sometimes forgets her keys.
3. We sometimes eat out on Fridays.
4. He sometimes calls just to chat.
5. It sometimes rains in the desert.
6. Sometimes, silence says everything.
7. They sometimes visit their grandparents.
8. I sometimes stay up late watching movies.
9. People sometimes make mistakes.
10. Sometimes, it’s better to say nothing.

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with “occasionally” or “now and then,” use sometimes.

I sometimes eat pizza = I occasionally eat pizza.

3. Some Time: A Period of Time

Meaning

“Some time” (two words) means a certain amount of time — a period or duration, not a specific moment.
It’s often used with verbs like spend, take, or need.

Examples (10 total)

1. It took me some time to finish the project.
2. We spent some time in the countryside.
3. She needs some time to think.
4. It’s been some time since we last met.
5. I’ll need some time to prepare.
6. He waited for some time before leaving.
7. We had some time to rest.
8. It might take some time to recover.
9. She lived abroad for some time.
10. Give him some time to decide.

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with “a while” or “a period of time,” use some time.

I need some time to relax = I need a while to relax.

4. Quick Comparison Table

5. How to Remember

👉 Sometime = one time (unknown when)
👉 Sometimes = many times (occasionally)
👉 Some time = a span of time

💡 Memory Trick:

“Sometimes” ends with s, for several times.
“Some time” has a space — for more space in time.

6. Common Mistakes

❌ Let’s meet sometimes next week.
✅ Let’s meet sometime next week.

❌ It took sometime to fix it.
✅ It took some time to fix it.

❌ I sometime watch movies.
✅ I sometimes watch movies.

7. Why It’s Confusing

The difference is small but meaningful — sometime focuses on when, sometimes on frequency, and some time on duration.

Even advanced grammar tools like Humanizey detect this nuance automatically, ensuring your writing uses the right form naturally and accurately.

FAQs

1. Can “sometime” mean “former”?

Yes. In formal writing, sometime can mean former:

The company’s sometime director now works elsewhere.

2. Is “sometime soon” correct?

Yes — it means at some unspecified time in the near future.

3. Can “some time” start a sentence?

Yes: Some time later, they found the answer.

4. Which one means “occasionally”?

That’s sometimes.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form (“Sometime,” “Sometimes,” or “Some Time”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. Let’s meet ___ next week.
2. It took her ___ to recover from the cold.
3. I ___ forget to lock the door.
4. We should visit Paris ___ in the future.
5. He needs ___ to make a decision.
6. I’ll call you ___ tomorrow.
7. She’s been living abroad for ___ now.
8. ___, I miss the quiet countryside.
9. We spent ___ walking along the beach.
10. The event happened ___ last summer.

Answers

1. sometime
2. some time
3. sometimes
4. sometime
5. some time
6. sometime
7. some time
8. sometimes
9. some time
10. sometime