once
part of speech
adverb (once); conjunction (once); noun (the once — casual)
meaning for a pupil
1) Once means one time. tree →
2) Once means at some time in the past: «Once there was a king». tree →
3) Once can also mean «as soon as»: «Once you finish, you can play». tree →
4) «At once» means now, right away, or at the same time. tree →
5) (casual) «For once» means this time, unlike usual, often with a complaint: «Be on time for once!» tree →
6) (casual, UK, Ireland) «The once» means one time only: «I only did it the once.» tree →
7) (formal) «Upon» and «subsequent to» replace «once» in stiff writing: «Upon completion of the task…» tree →
8) «Once-over» (informal) is a quick look: «give it the once-over». tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths: one time; «once a week» gives a rate; «once she had…» starts a step. In everyday life: «once a day», «once in a while», «just this once». In stories: «Once upon a time» begins fairy tales. In science: «once the water boils» marks a step. In casual talk: «for once», «once and for all». In the exam voice: «upon reaching», «on a single occasion». Phrases: «once more», «once again», «all at once», «once in a blue moon» (very rarely), «once and for all».
examples
- She visits her grandma once a week. tree →
- He ran around the track once. tree →
- Once he had 10 stamps, he stopped. tree →
- Once upon a time there lived a little fox. tree →
- Come here at once! tree →
- Once the ice melts, the water level rises. tree →
- I have been to London once. tree →
- Just this once, you can stay up late. tree →
- tidy your room for once, it's a tip (casual, annoyed) tree →
- I only went the once, honest (casual, UK) tree →
- Shut up and listen for once in your life. (rough) tree →
- A pupil visits the library on a single occasion per week; determine the number of visits over a period of 9 weeks. (formal exam) tree →
- Go and behead him at once. tree →
note
«Once» = 1 time; «once a week» is a rate (1 per week). Trap: «twice» = 2 times, «once» = 1, not zero. Sounds like «wunce». «At once» can mean «immediately» or «all together», so read the sentence. «Once more» means one more time. «For once» is usually a complaint, not a count. «Once in a blue moon» = very rarely, not a number. Formal «on a single occasion» = once.
In the corpora
- Starting a new job means learning new systems, names and rules all at once, so people come home tired.
- Payday is the day pay arrives in the bank, often once a month, so money is usually lowest just before it.
- Moving means packing everything, doing paperwork and saying goodbye all at once, so it is very stressful.
- Tenants who cannot get a repair done may complain more than once or ask the council for help.
- One coat of paint often looks patchy, so a second coat is painted on once the first is dry.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «once» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.