alternately
adv.happening one after the other in a repeating pattern. You use this when two things take turns.
adv.in a manner that involves two things succeeding each other in a regular, repeating sequence. Often describes a pattern where two distinct states or objects take turns.
“The lights flash red and green alternately.”
“During the experiment, the subjects were exposed to heat and cold alternately to measure their skin's reaction time.”
“The novel is structured so that the chapters are narrated alternately by the two main protagonists, providing contrasting perspectives on the same series of events.”
Typically follows the verb or the object it modifies to describe the sequence of action.
Learners confuse 'alternately' (taking turns) with 'alternatively' (offering a choice between two things).
“A depiction of Albarn’s relationship with Justine Frischmann collapsing, it’s alternately shaky, despondent and powerfully robust.”
“Under that name, it has been immortalized in countless books and movies, alternately burnishing and tarnishing the Custer legend.”
From alternate + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.