The difference between every day and everyday

Do you go to work every day or everyday? If you’re not sure whether you should use “every day” or “everyday,” you’re not alone. A lot of English language learners confuse them with each other. But, even though they sound the same, they are completely different terms.

Basically, what sets them apart is the space between “every” and “day.” And, that’s more than enough to know which of them is the term you need.

Every day – Meaning and usage

“Every day” is a phrase consisting of two words – “every” and “day.” The first one is an adjective describing the second, which is a noun. So, this phrase is used for something that happens every day or on a daily basis. It simply means “each day.”

Example

I visit my grandma every day.

An easy way to remember it is to see if there’s a space between the two words. The space indicates that “every” is an adjective that can be used with any other noun. For example, “every night,” in which case the phrase would mean “each night.” You get the idea.

Everyday – Meaning and usage

“Everyday” is one word, and it’s an adjective that means it must be followed by a noun. It describes something or someone that’s considered as “standard,” “ordinary,” or “average.”

Examples

Commuting is part of his everyday life.

Participants in the game show are everyday people.

In the examples above, the adjective everyday describes the nouns “activity” and “people” as standard or common.

Everyday vs. Every day – What’s the difference?

The main difference between these two terms is that “everyday” is one word, an adjective that describes the word that follows it, and “every day” is a phrase consisting of two words that mean “each day.”

So, pay attention to the space between “every” and “day.” If there’s a space, it’s a phrase that can stand completely on its own, meaning “each day.”

If there isn’t a space, it’s one word or an adjective that can’t stand on its own and requires another one, a noun, right after it. It means “ordinary” or “standard.”