Vocabulary
B1
6 min read
Updated 15 June 2026
Quick Answer
Sometime (one word) means at an unspecified point in time, or formerly; sometimes (with an s) means occasionally, on some occasions.
Sometime and sometimes look like the same word with an added s, but they answer different questions. Sometimes answers how often — occasionally, on some occasions but not all the time. Sometime, without the s, answers when — at an unspecified point in time (let's meet sometime next week), and it can also work as an adjective meaning former (the sometime chair of the committee). Add the s for frequency; drop it for a vague point in time. Watch out for the separate two-word phrase some time, meaning a period of time.
At a Glance: Sometime vs Sometimes
| Word | Part of Speech | Pronunciation | Core Meaning |
|---|
| sometime |
adverb / adjective |
/ˈsʌmtaɪm/ |
at an unspecified time; (as adjective) former |
| sometimes |
adverb |
/ˈsʌmtaɪmz/ |
occasionally; on some occasions but not always |
Using “Sometime”
Sometime (one word, no final s) is an adverb meaning at an unspecified or indefinite point in time. As an adjective placed before a noun, it means former or one-time.
When to use it
- At an unspecified time: call me sometime
- A vague future point: sometime next year
- As adjective, 'former': the sometime editor
- No idea of frequency
- Compare two-word some time (a period)
Let's get together sometime soon.
The building was demolished sometime in the 1990s.
He promised to visit sometime this summer.
She is the sometime director of the museum.
We'll sort out the details sometime later.
Using “Sometimes”
Sometimes (with a final s) is an adverb of frequency meaning occasionally, on some occasions but not always. It tells you how often something happens.
When to use it
- Occasionally: I sometimes walk to work
- On some occasions, not all: sometimes it rains
- Between 'often' and 'rarely'
- Answers 'how often?'
- Often placed before the main verb
Sometimes I take the bus instead of driving.
She sometimes works late on Fridays.
The bridge is sometimes closed in bad weather.
I sometimes forget where I parked.
Sometimes it is best to say nothing at all.
The Key Difference
Ask whether you mean how often or when. Sometimes (with s) means occasionally — it answers how often (I sometimes cook). Sometime (no s) means at an unspecified time, or, before a noun, former — it answers when (call me sometime; the sometime mayor). And keep the two-word some time separate: it means a period of time (I need some time to think).
Memory Tip
Sometimes has an s like occasions — it is about how often, on some occasions. Sometime with no s points to a single, vague point in time. Extra s means occasionally; no s means at some point or former.
Common Mistakes
Let's meet sometimes next week to discuss it.
Let's meet sometime next week to discuss it. (an unspecified single time is sometime)
Sometime I feel like staying in bed all day.
Sometimes I feel like staying in bed all day. (occasionally is sometimes)
She was the sometimes president of the club.
She was the sometime president of the club. (former, as an adjective, is sometime)
I will need sometime to finish the report.
I will need some time to finish the report. (a period of time is the two-word some time)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between sometime and sometimes?
Sometimes, with a final s, is an adverb of frequency meaning occasionally or on some occasions but not always, as in I sometimes walk to work; it answers how often. Sometime, without the s, is an adverb meaning at an unspecified point in time, as in let's meet sometime next week; it answers when. Sometime can also be an adjective meaning former, as in the sometime chair. So the s marks frequency, while the form without s marks a vague time or a former role.
When should I use sometimes?
Use sometimes when you mean occasionally, on some occasions but not all the time. It is an adverb of frequency that answers the question how often, sitting between often and rarely. For example, I sometimes work from home, or the road is sometimes flooded. It usually goes before the main verb or at the start of a sentence. If you can replace the word with occasionally or now and then without changing the meaning, sometimes is correct.
When should I use sometime?
Use sometime, without the s, when you mean at an unspecified or indefinite point in time, as in call me sometime, or the office moved sometime last year. It can also be used as an adjective before a noun to mean former or one-time, as in the sometime editor of the paper. In both uses there is no sense of frequency; it points to a single vague time or a past role rather than how often something happens.
What is the difference between sometime and some time?
Sometime, one word, means at an unspecified point in time or, as an adjective, former. Some time, two words, means a period or amount of time, as in I need some time to decide, or it took some time to fix. A useful test is whether you could insert a word like considerable before time, as in some considerable time; if you can, you need the two-word some time. If you mean a vague point, use the one-word sometime.
How do you pronounce sometime and sometimes?
Sometime is pronounced /ˈsʌmtaɪm/, roughly SUM-time, with two syllables and the stress on the first. Sometimes is pronounced /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/, roughly SUM-timez, with the same stress but an added z sound at the end. The only spoken difference is that final z in sometimes. Hearing or not hearing that ending s sound is the simplest way to tell which word a speaker means, with the s signalling frequency.
Can sometime mean former?
Yes. As an adjective placed before a noun, sometime means former or one-time. For example, the sometime mayor of the town, or her sometime business partner. In this use it describes someone who once held a role but no longer does. It is fairly formal and a little old-fashioned. Note that this adjective use always takes the single-word, no-s form sometime, never sometimes, which is only ever an adverb of frequency.
Is sometimes one word or two?
Sometimes is always written as one word, with a final s, when it means occasionally, as in she sometimes sings. There is no correct two-word spelling for this frequency meaning. Do not confuse it with the two-word phrase some time, which means a period of time, or with the one-word sometime, which means at a vague point in time. So for occasionally, write a single word ending in s: sometimes.
Where does sometimes go in a sentence?
Sometimes is flexible. As an adverb of frequency, it most often goes before the main verb, as in I sometimes forget, or after the verb to be, as in she is sometimes late. It can also begin a sentence for emphasis, as in sometimes it is best to wait. It is rarely placed at the very end in formal writing. This flexibility is normal for frequency adverbs and does not change the spelling or meaning.
Why are sometime and sometimes confused?
They are confused because they look almost identical, differing only by a final s, and both relate to time. The crucial difference is meaning: sometimes is about frequency, occasionally, while sometime is about an unspecified single point in time or a former role. Adding the two-word form some time, meaning a period, makes the trio especially tricky. Tying the s in sometimes to occasions, and the no-s sometime to a vague point, keeps them clear.
How can I remember which word to use?
Use the s as a hook. Sometimes has an s, like occasions, so it means on some occasions, occasionally, answering how often. Sometime, with no s, points to a single vague point in time or a former role, answering when. And if you mean a period of time, split it into two words, some time. So extra s means occasionally, no s means at some point, and two words means a period.
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