"Everyday" (one word) is an adjective meaning ordinary or daily; "every day" (two words) means each day.
Adjective: ordinary, routine, suitable for daily use. ALWAYS placed before a noun. Cannot stand alone or end a sentence.
This is an everyday problem that most people face at some point.
She switched to more everyday clothing after leaving her corporate job.
The app is designed for everyday use, not just occasional tasks.
Frequency adverb: each day, on every single day. Can be used at the beginning or end of a sentence, or stand alone.
She goes to the gym every day before work.
I check my email every day, even on weekends.
The price of gasoline seems to change every day.
Common mistake
Writing "everyday" when two words are needed and vice versa is one of the most common spacing errors in written English. The easiest test: substitute "each day". If it works, use two words. "She exercises each day" = correct. "She has an each day routine" = does not work, so use "everyday routine".
Trick to remember it
Substitution test: swap for "each day". If the sentence still makes sense, use TWO words: "every day". If it does not work (because it sits before a noun), use ONE word: "everyday". Memory rule: if you can put "an" before it ("an everyday occurrence"), it is one word (adjective). If you can replace it with "each day", it is two words.
Quick rule
Everyday (one word) = adjective before a noun (everyday life, everyday problem). Every day (two words) = each day (replaceable with "each day").
Did you know?
"Everyday" as an adjective is relatively recent in English. The Oxford English Dictionary traces its use as a compound adjective to the 18th century. Before that it was always written as two words, and some purists still prefer the hyphenated "every-day", though that form is now rare.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
I drink coffee _____ without exception.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Stress has become an _____ reality for many office workers.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Everyday (one word) = adjective before a noun (everyday life, everyday problem). Every day (two words) = each day (replaceable with "each day").
Writing "everyday" when two words are needed and vice versa is one of the most common spacing errors in written English. The easiest test: substitute "each day". If it works, use two words. "She exercises each day" = correct. "She has an each day routine" = does not work, so use "everyday routine".
Substitution test: swap for "each day". If the sentence still makes sense, use TWO words: "every day". If it does not work (because it sits before a noun), use ONE word: "everyday". Memory rule: if you can put "an" before it ("an everyday occurrence"), it is one word (adjective). If you can replace it with "each day", it is two words.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy