What is the difference between “everyday” and “every day”?
- Everyday is an adjective that means “used or seen daily,” “ordinary” or “commonplace” (e.g., I brought my everyday clothing). Every day is a two-word adverb phrase that means “each day” or “daily” (e.g., We read every day).
Is It “Everyday” or “Every Day”?
If you find yourself asking, “Is it everyday or every day?,” you aren’t alone. Many people use these words incorrectly. It comes down to this: if you do something every day, it becomes an everyday habit. Still puzzled? Don’t worry. Below, we’ll elaborate on what these words mean, and show you a trick to remember how to use them correctly every day.
How To Use “Everyday”
Everyday is a single word that means “encountered daily,” “used routinely,” or “commonplace.” It’s an adjective, which means it describes or modifies nouns.
My mom told me to pack my everyday shoes for our upcoming vacation.
In this example sentence, everyday modifies the noun shoes. Everyday is synonymous with ordinary or usual. Therefore, the example sentence above has the same message as:
My mom told me to pack my usual shoes for our upcoming vacation.
Other words you can use in place of everyday are:
- standard
- routine
- ordinary
Here are some more examples of everyday used in a sentence:
Everyday tasks can become monotonous.
My grandma prided herself in coming up with easy, everyday recipes.
One of the most important things my mentor taught me is not to stress over minor, everyday problems.
How To Use “Every Day”
Every is an adjective, while day is a noun. Together, they make a two-word adverb phrase that means “daily” or “each day.” Whereas the adjective everyday usually comes before a noun, the adverb phrase every day is typically seen after a verb.
My teammates and I practice every day.
In the sentence above, practice is the verb that is getting modified.
Here are a few more examples of every day in a sentence:
Fortunately, my mom doesn’t make me do chores every day.
Mr. Lewis assigns homework every day.
Every day, Mr. Whiskers waits by the door until my husband gets home.
How To Remember When To Use “Everyday” and “Every Day”
We get it. The similarities between everyday and every day mean they are easy to confuse. There are two simple tests to make sure you’re using the correct word.
The first is to replace the word in question with each day. If it still makes sense, then every day is the word you want to use.
They feed the ducks by the lake every day.
They feed the ducks by the lake each day.
Both sentences above make sense.
We were discussing everyday scenarios.
We were discussing each day scenarios.
Here, the last sentence isn’t grammatically correct, and therefore you would know that the word you should use is everyday.
Another test you can use is to add the word “single” between every and day.
We talked on the phone every day after school.
We talked on the phone every single day after school.
Because every single day makes sense in the sentence above, then every day is the correct option to use.
I was told to consider my everyday habits before I make my decision.
I was told to consider my every single day habits before I make my decision.
Using every single day in the sentence above doesn’t fit as well, so you would know to use everyday instead.
LanguageTool Can Help You Remember the Difference Between “Everyday” and “Every Day”
Even if you’re acutely aware of the differences between two words, typos happen every day. It’s better to play it safe by using LanguageTool as your writing assistant. Not only will it correct spelling and grammar mistakes as you type, but it will also provide synonyms and offer stylistic improvements.
