Every day vs Everyday
Every day as two words is a phrase meaning each day. Everyday as one word is an adjective meaning ordinary, commonplace, or typical. The space changes the part of speech and the meaning entirely — and a quick mental test usually picks the right one: try replacing it with "each day" or with "ordinary" and see which fits.
Last reviewed on 2026-04-27.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Every day | Everyday |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Two words | One word |
| Part of speech | Adverb phrase | Adjective |
| Meaning | Each day, daily | Ordinary, commonplace, normal |
| Test | Replace with "each day" | Replace with "ordinary" |
| Position | Modifies a verb (when something happens) | Modifies a noun (what something is like) |
| Example | I exercise every day. | These are everyday clothes. |
Key Differences
1. Different forms, different parts of speech
Every day is two separate words. It's an adverbial phrase that modifies a verb, telling you when or how often. "I drink coffee every day" — the phrase tells you when the drinking happens.
Everyday is one word. It's an adjective that modifies a noun, telling you what kind of thing it is. "Everyday coffee" — the adjective tells you it's the ordinary, regular coffee, not a special one.
2. The replacement test
For every day, try replacing with "each day." If it works, you want two words. "I exercise every day" → "I exercise each day" ✓
For everyday, try replacing with "ordinary" or "normal." If it works, you want one word. "My everyday shoes" → "my ordinary shoes" ✓
3. Worked sentences
"She walks her dog every day." (each day) "The shop is open every day except Sunday." (each day) "He plays the piano every day." (each day)
"These are my everyday shoes." (ordinary) "It's an everyday occurrence." (commonplace) "She wore an everyday jacket." (regular, not formal)
4. Common slips
"Use this every day hand cream" — wrong. As an adjective modifying "hand cream," it should be one word: "everyday hand cream."
"I drink coffee everyday" — wrong. The phrase modifies the verb "drink," telling you when, so it should be two words: "every day."
5. Position in sentence
Every day typically appears at the end of a sentence or clause: "I run every day." "They meet every day at noon."
Everyday typically appears before a noun: "everyday clothes," "everyday life," "everyday tasks."
6. Stress and pronunciation
Every day is usually pronounced with stress on "day": "every day."
Everyday is often pronounced with stress on "every": "EV-ery-day." The stress pattern often signals which one is meant in speech.
When to Choose Each
Choose Every day if:
- Describing how often something happens — daily.
- Time references: "every day this week," "every day in March."
- Verb modifiers: "I exercise every day," "she calls every day."
Choose Everyday if:
- Describing ordinary or routine things.
- Adjectives modifying nouns: "everyday objects," "everyday life," "everyday tasks."
- Anywhere "ordinary" or "normal" would also work.
Worked example
"In everyday life, she does the same things every day." Both forms in one sentence: the first is an adjective (everyday life — ordinary life); the second is the adverbial phrase (every day — each day). The grammar is correct because each form is doing its proper job.
Common Mistakes
- "They're always the same." Different forms, different functions.
- "Use one word to be modern." The one-word form is only correct as an adjective.
- "Use two words to be formal." The two-word form is only correct as an adverb phrase.