The one-word sometime refers to a vague, unspecified time—for example:
Thousands of dollars were allegedly stolen from the bank’s ATM vault sometime between Friday and Sunday, according to the MCSO. [Ukiah Daily Journal]
The session is due to start sometime next month though a date has yet to be finalized. [Wall Street Journal]
It’s also adjective meaning either former or longtime—for example:
Sometime D Magazine contributor Pam Kripke has taken to teaching English in a public school not so very far away. [D Magazine]
As a sometime adviser to Republicans, I’d like to offer a few guidelines to understanding their approach to economic policy. [NY Times]
The two-word some time usually means quite a while—for example:
It had been some time since Rebecca and her husband, Scott, had attended a church. [Utica Observer Dispatch]
It also works where some is an adjective referring to time—for example:
I’ve been spending some time thinking about income inequality for a piece I’m writing. [Washington Post]
In the second sense, isn’t it more like occasional?
In both examples above, the subject is a current contributor or advisor, and it’s not known how long they’ve been doing those things.
In fact, if you mean to say former, I prefer onetime.
very helpful, thanks!
“it had to happen some time” or should it be “sometime”?
“It had to happen sometime.”