very often vs all too often

Both "very often" and "all too often" are correct phrases, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Very often" simply means something happens frequently, while "all too often" implies that something happens more frequently than desired or expected.

Last updated: April 01, 2024 • 1288 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a high frequency of occurrence.

"very often"

Use "very often" to describe something that happens frequently or regularly.

Examples:

I go to the gym very often.
She visits her parents very often.
He gets distracted very often during meetings.
They eat out very often.
The bus is very often late.

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Indeed, very often, these institutions are distracted by the need to resolve conflicts between powers.
This question has come up very often.
Authors are very often the best directors of their own works.
Dreams don't come true very often.
And they are very often the same thing.
You don't come to see me very often.
Sometimes, not very often, something like this happens.
Trust me, that doesn't happen very often.
Surveys show that the intellectual capacity of people with physical disabilities, very often, is underestimated.
Marion, you don't seek out my company very often.
You have come here to cook... many times, very often.
Well, that kind doesn't come out very often.
He didn't bring people up here very often.
Time travel is very often unpredictable, and still extremely dangerous.
You don't come to this church very often, Marshal.
Urban, suburban and regional bus services are very often part of these networks.
We don't very often see gentlemen in here.
Sadly, this is very often not the case.
The Scribbler doesn't come out to play very often.
You don't see it used very often these days.

Alternatives:

frequently
often
regularly

This phrase is correct and used to express a negative connotation about something happening more frequently than desired or expected.

"all too often"

Use "all too often" to emphasize that something happens more frequently than is good or acceptable.

Examples:

All too often, people ignore the warning signs.
All too often, we take things for granted.
All too often, students procrastinate until the last minute.
All too often, accidents happen on this road.
All too often, we forget to appreciate what we have.

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The fundamental right of self-determination is all too often ignored, possibly for reasons of political convenience.
Yet, all too often these political priorities are invisible in everyday policies.
The work of Parliament is all too often insufficiently understood in our own countries.
This Parliament has often - all too often - debated the lack of respect for human rights in Cuba.
The initial energy has dissipated and all too often we are back to 'business as usual'.
Without compulsory deadlines, texts are all too often simply declarations of intent which achieve nothing.
In fact when we talk about the transatlantic relationship we all too often forget that reality.
In the name of preserving national sovereignty, the veto all too often promotes international anarchy.
This all too often means that the potential of EU research is not fully exploited.
This information is all too often partial or misleading.
Europe has seen it before, but all too often reacted too late.
Environmental issues are all too often hidden away in development work.
Our discussion in the public forum focuses all too often on the adverse effects of globalisation.
Unfortunately, these recommendations are all too often ignored.
However, cities have all too often been built mainly as traffic hubs.
It shows what happens all too often today in Europe.
Next, we all too often see vast sums of money being spent on projects whose outcomes will necessarily be unclear at the start of the programme period.
The ecological disaster on the banks of the Danube is a reminder, as if we needed one, that all too often human negligence jeopardises natural resources such as water.
Money set aside for information on the EU is all too often used for persuasive advertising, without presenting all the sides of an issue.
Remain a beacon of peace and quiet in the stormy sea that our world, alas, has all too often become.

Alternatives:

too frequently
more often than not
over and over again

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very often vs all too often

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