idiom · informal
once in a blue moon
/wʌns ɪn ə ˌbluː ˈmuːn/once·in·a·blue·MOON
speakingtask2
very rarely
Examples
“I go to the cinema once in a blue moon, usually when a movie gets great reviews.”
“Our neighbours visit once in a blue moon, so we catch up when they do.”
“Once in a blue moon I treat myself to a day off from studying.”
Band 8 sentence
“I travel abroad once in a blue moon, usually for a special conference or family event.”
Collocations
- go somewhere once in a blue moon
- happen once in a blue moon
Word family
once in a blue moon idiom
Common mistakes
once in blue moon→once in a blue moon
one in a blue moon→once in a blue moon
Say it for a higher band
5rarely→6hardly ever→7+once in a blue moon
Synonyms
rarely
hardly ever
Easily confused
rarely
“I rarely eat fast food because I prefer cooking at home.”
every now and then
“I exercise every now and then when I have time.”
Related words
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In Time
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