Every day vs everyday: one word describes things, two words describe time

The rule: everyday is an adjective, every day is a phrase

Lifehacker puts the rule simply: the thing to remember when choosing between everyday and every day is that everyday is an adjective. It means commonplace or ordinary and is used to describe a noun. Every day, by contrast, is a phrase made up of an adjective and a noun.

Cambridge's learner dictionary has an entry for the adjective everyday, which is how you will find it in a dictionary. The two-word phrase is built from the determiner every, which, as Cambridge's grammar page shows, is used with a singular noun to refer individually to all the members of a complete group: every child, every cook, every day.

The Merriam-Webster video adds a little history: they started as the same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

The one-word test: swap every for each

You do not need to analyse grammar to choose correctly. ELLA Language suggests that if you are unsure whether to use everyday or every day, you replace every with each. The site also notes that, although they are spelled similarly and pronounced almost the same, everyday and every day have different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably.

Here is the test at work:

1. I go to the gym ___. I go to the gym each day works, so every day.
2. She wears ___ clothes to work. each day clothes does not work, so everyday.
3. We eat lunch together ___. each day works, so every day.
4. This is an ___ problem. an each day problem does not work, so everyday.

A second check: is there a noun right after the word? In everyday life, life is the noun that everyday describes, so you need the one-word form. In I swim every day, there is nothing for everyday to describe: every day is telling you when.

If both checks give the same answer, you can be confident. If they disagree, read the sentence slowly and look for the word when.

Everyday: adjective examples

Use everyday before a noun, to mean ordinary, usual or used all the time.

• everyday life: The book describes everyday life in a small village.
• everyday English: We learn everyday English first, then specialist vocabulary.
• everyday objects: A toothbrush and a pen are everyday objects.
• everyday clothes: She changed into her everyday clothes.
• everyday problems: Everyday problems like a late bus can ruin a morning.
• everyday use: This knife is for everyday use.

Common mistakes with this adjective:

• Wrong: I wear them every day clothes.
• Right: I wear my everyday clothes.
• Wrong: This is an every day task.
• Right: This is an everyday task.

Everyday is only an adjective, so it must come before the noun it describes. You cannot say "The weather is everyday" for "The weather happens every day": that sentence needs the two-word form.

If you are building vocabulary for conversation, you will find many ordinary phrases in our list of daily English vocabulary and our short English conversations.

Every day: adverb phrase examples

Use every day when you mean each day. It tells you how often something happens.

The Byju's guide notes that every day also answers the question when? For example, in "Ross visits the library every day at 10 o'clock", every day answers the question when. The site classes it as an adverb phrase in that sentence.

More examples:

• I practise English every day.
• She calls her mother every day after work.
• It rains here almost every day in spring.
• The shop is open every day except Sunday.
• Every day is a chance to learn something.

In the last example, every day is the subject of the sentence, which is fine: every is a determiner, day is a noun.

Cambridge adds a grammar point: when every refers to the subject, we use a singular verb. Every day passes quickly, not every day pass quickly.

Common mistakes with this phrase:

• Wrong: I miss you everyday.
• Right: I miss you every day.
• Wrong: We meet everyday at noon.
• Right: We meet every day at noon.

This answers the question "Is it miss you everyday or every day?" It is every day, because everyday cannot tell you how often you miss someone.

How to say them: stress shows the difference

Learners often ask whether the two forms sound different. In careful speech, they do, because of word stress.

• everyday (adjective): one main stress on the first syllable, EV-ree-day. The last syllable is weak.
• every day (phrase): two main beats, EV-ree DAY. Both words are separate, and day carries a clear stress.

Compare:

• "I read EV-ryday news." (ordinary news)
• "I read the news EV-ry DAY." (each day)

In fast speech, the difference can almost disappear, which is one reason the spelling is mixed up. As Lifehacker notes, you can be excused for confusing every day with everyday or anyone with any one, because they sound the same, after all.

Useful practice: say each sentence aloud and put the stress on the word that carries the main meaning. In everyday English, the meaning is English, so the stress is EV-ry-day ENG-lish. In I study every day, the meaning is study and day. For more on stress patterns, see our guide to word stress in English.

Other pairs that work the same way

The same one-word versus two-word pattern appears in several common pairs. The principle is always the same: a single word is one idea, and two words are two separate ideas.

Lifehacker lists every day versus everyday and anyone versus any one among the homonym pairs that people often mix up.

Examples:

• Everyone came to the party. (all the people)
• I read every one of her books. (each single book)
• Maybe we will go. (perhaps)
• It may be too late. (verb)

When in doubt, split the word and check whether the two-word version still makes sense as a phrase. If each one or each day fits, use two words.

Practice: everyday or every day?

Choose the correct form. Answers are below.

1. I walk to work ___.
2. These are my ___ shoes.
3. Speaking ___ is the fastest way to improve.
4. She faces ___ challenges in her job.
5. I try to learn five new words ___.
6. It is an ___ expression in British English.
7. ___ is different at a new job.
8. Do you drink coffee ___?

Answers: 1. every day. 2. everyday. 3. every day. 4. everyday. 5. every day. 6. everyday. 7. Every day. 8. every day.

To make the difference automatic, say five sentences about your routine using every day, and five using everyday before a noun. Record yourself and listen for the stress. Our guide to English speaking practice shows how to turn a short daily routine into steady progress, and a tutor can correct your mistakes while you talk.