Cool MateNot regularly vs Occasionally
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Not regularly
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Occasionally
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Most common: Occasionally
| Not regularly | Occasionally | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //nɒt ˈrɛɡjʊləli//🇺🇸 //nɑt ˈrɛɡjʊlɛrli// | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈkeɪʒnəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈkeɪʒnəli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Not happening often or at regular times. | Sometimes, but not often. |
| Example | I exercise not regularly, but when I do, I give it my all. | We occasionally meet for a drink after work. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | not regularly scheduled, not regularly occurring, not regularly implemented | occurs occasionally, rarely used occasionally, happens occasionally |
| Antonyms | - | frequently, often, regularly |
| Common mistakes | Using 'not regular' instead of 'not regularly'., Confusing with 'irregularly', which implies different patterns of occurrence., Using with countable nouns incorrectly, e.g., 'not regularly meals.' | Using 'occasionally' when 'often' is more appropriate., Confusing 'occasionally' with 'occasion' (which is a noun)., Adding unnecessary prepositions, e.g., 'occasionally at'. |
| Usage notes | Used in both spoken and written contexts to indicate infrequency; suitable for formal and informal situations. | Used in both spoken and written English. It often implies that something happens at irregular intervals, which makes it less formal than some alternatives, but still appropriate for most contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Not regularly vs Occasionally
What's the difference between Not regularly and Occasionally?
Not regularly: Not happening often or at regular times. Occasionally: Sometimes, but not often.
Which is more common: Not regularly and Occasionally?
Occasionally is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Not regularly: I exercise not regularly, but when I do, I give it my all. Occasionally: We occasionally meet for a drink after work.
Can I use Not regularly and Occasionally interchangeably?
Not always. Not regularly and Occasionally are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.