once in a while

once in a while — 片語動詞

  • once in a whilebase form
  • onces in a while3rd person singular
  • oncing in a while-ing form
  • onced in a whilepast simple

1. sometimes, but not regularly or very often.

1.片語動詞A2
釋義

偶爾

不是常常，只是有時會發生

sometimes, but not regularly or very often.

例句

Once in a while, Jin misses the late train and walks home.

Jin 偶爾會錯過末班車，然後走路回家。

once in a while at the start of a sentence

Christopher visits his grandparents once in a while when work is quiet.

工作比較不忙時，Christopher 偶爾會去看祖父母。

once in a while at the end of a clause

常見搭配
  • go there once in a while
  • see someone once in a while
  • happen once in a while
  • eat out once in a while
同義詞
  • sometimes

    the plainest everyday choice; often slightly more direct

  • now and then

    very close in meaning; a little more conversational

  • from time to time

    slightly more formal and often sounds more spaced out

反義詞
  • regularly

    describes something happening in a steady repeated pattern

  • all the time

    much stronger; happening very often or almost constantly

文法句型

once in a while

once in a while at the start or end of a clause

用法筆記

Usually placed at the beginning or end of a clause to show that something happens occasionally rather than on a regular schedule. In everyday English, it often sounds a little less exact than 'sometimes'.

常見錯誤

I go there once while.
I go there once in a while.
Keep the full phrase with 'in a'.
We meet once in while after class.
We meet once in a while after class.
The article 'a' is part of the fixed phrase.