Differences between Every Day and Everyday
Comparison Article[edit]
In English, everyday and every day are commonly confused due to their identical pronunciation.[1] However, they serve distinct grammatical functions and are not interchangeable.[2] "Everyday" is an adjective that describes something as ordinary or commonplace, while "every day" is an adverbial phrase that means "each day."[1][3]
Comparison table[edit]
| Category | Everyday (one word) | Every day (two words) |
|---|---|---|
| Part of Speech | Adjective[4] | Adverbial phrase[5] |
| Function | Describes a noun by qualifying it as ordinary, common, or typical.[1] | Modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb to indicate frequency (daily). |
| Meaning | "Ordinary," "commonplace," "regular," "typical."[4][1] | "Each day" or "daily."[4][1] |
| Pronunciation | Stress is on the first syllable: EV-ry-day.[4] | Stress is on the second word: ev-ry-DAY.[4] |
| Example Sentence | A smartphone is an everyday device for many people. | She charges her smartphone every day.[4] |
| Substitution Test | Cannot be replaced with "each day."[1] | Can be replaced with "each day" without losing the sentence's meaning. |
Etymology[edit]
The compound adjective "everyday" originated in the 1630s, meaning "worn on ordinary days," to distinguish from clothing for Sundays or special occasions. The term is a compound of the adjective "every" and the noun "day." Its sense was extended to mean "common" or "to be met with every day" by 1763. The two-word phrase "every day" combines the adjective "every," which singles out members of a group, with the noun "day."
Common mistakes[edit]
The confusion between the two terms arises almost exclusively in writing. A common method to determine the correct usage is to substitute "each" for "every." If the sentence remains grammatically sound (e.g., "she goes to work each day"), then the two-word phrase "every day" is correct.[1] If the substitution does not work (e.g., "an eachday occurrence"), the single-word adjective "everyday" is required.
Another test is to add the word "single" between "every" and "day." If the sentence still makes sense ("I read the news every single day"), then "every day" is the correct choice. This does not work for the adjectival form ("her every single day routine" is incorrect).
Incorrect usage can alter the meaning of a sentence. For instance, "these are my every day shoes" would incorrectly imply that the shoes belong to all days, whereas "these are my everyday shoes" correctly identifies them as ordinary, casual footwear.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "grammarly.com". Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "grammar.cl". Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "merriam-webster.com". Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "scribbr.com". Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "quora.com". Retrieved December 27, 2025.
