occur

/əˈkɜː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkɜːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈkər/ (ame, mw)

occur — verb

  • occurpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • occurshe / she / it
  • occurredpast simple
  • occurring-ing form

1. if an event takes place — usually one that was not planned or expected, such as

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

if an event takes place — usually one that was not planned or expected, such as an accident, a problem, or a natural process — we say that it occurs.

例句

The car crash occurred just after midnight on the highway near Taoyuan.

occur + time and place adverbials

Earthquakes occur frequently along the eastern coast of Taiwan.

subject is a natural event; adverb of frequency

同義詞
  • happen

    everyday register; works for both planned and unplanned events

  • take place

    neutral; preferred for scheduled or organised events

  • arise

    formal; used for problems, questions, or opportunities that come into being

文法句型

occur (no object)

occur + adverbial of time/place

用法筆記

More formal than 'happen'; common in news reports, scientific writing, and police or medical statements. Subject is usually an event, not a person — you cannot say 'I occurred to win'.

常見錯誤

❌I occurred a problem with my laptop.
✅A problem occurred with my laptop.
💡'occur' is intransitive, so the event is the subject, not the object.
❌The party will occur on Saturday.
✅The party will take place on Saturday.
💡'occur' sounds odd for planned social events; use it for unplanned or natural happenings.

2. to be present in a particular place, group, or set of things — for example, a ch

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to be present in a particular place, group, or set of things — for example, a chemical occurring in seawater, or a word occurring in old poems.

例句

Iron occurs naturally in many vegetables, especially in spinach and beans.

occur + naturally + in [place]; scientific use

The word 'thou' rarely occurs in modern Taiwanese English textbooks.

occur + adverb of frequency + in [collection]

同義詞
  • be found

    everyday alternative for the same meaning

  • appear

    useful for things that show up in texts, lists, or images

  • exist

    broader; does not require a specific place

反義詞
  • be absent

    for the meaning of not being present in a place or group

文法句型

occur in + place/group

occur among + group

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always needs a place, group, or collection (often introduced by 'in', 'among', or 'throughout'); the subject is something that exists rather than an event that takes place.

常見錯誤

❌These birds occur.
✅These birds occur in coastal wetlands.
💡this sense needs an adverbial of place or group; without one, the sentence sounds incomplete.
❌Vitamin C is occurred in oranges.
✅Vitamin C occurs in oranges.
💡'occur' is never used in the passive.