While editing a client document last week, I came across the term “everyday”. It stuck out to me because it was being used incorrectly. Here is an example of “everyday” being used wrong:
I go to the store everyday.
What should be used instead is “every day”. So what’s the difference between “every day” and “everyday”?
Everyday
“Everyday” is actually an adjective that describes something you use each day. For example:
These are my everyday shoes.
Use “everyday” when you want to emphasize the object more than when you use it.
Every day
Use “every day” when you want to emphasize the frequency you use an object. For example:
I wear these shoes every day.
One way to remember which one to use is to replace “every” with “each” and see if it make sense:
These are my eachday shoes. (Nope.)
I wear these shoes each day. (Yep.)
If “each” makes sense in your sentence, then use two words: every day.
Do you have a trick you like to use to tell the difference between “everyday” and “every day?” Let me know in the comments below.
