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| Sly and the Family Stone |
Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah . . .
- Lyrics from the song "Everyday People"
By Sly Stone
Back in 1969, Sly and the Family Stone had a big hit with the song "Everyday People." They proclaimed loudly that they were part of the whole of humanity. In reference to the song title, "everyday" is single word and an adjective. It modifies a noun, and it is used to describe something as normal and commonplace. "Everyday" people are ordinary people. Your ordinary routine is your "everyday routine."
Does that mean that "everyday" as a single word is always correct? No, it does not. "Every day" (two words) is a noun phrase, consisting of the adjective "every" PLUS a noun "day." as in "The athlete runs every day between 10 and 11 a.m." "Every day" provides information about time.
When it describes time, it usually appears at the beginning or end of a clause.
So, what is a quick way to remember whether to use "every day" or "everyday?" Well, keep in mind that "every day" is synonymous with "each day." If you can replace "each day" with "every day" and it makes sense, then you are on the right track. If it doesn't look right, then use "everyday."
Here are some sentences in which "everyday" and "every day" are used correctly.
I get up early in the morning and jog. That is my everyday routine.
I eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Those are just my everyday shoes. I don't wear them on special occasions.
That's an everyday occurrence in our house. (meaning "daily")
Every day, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. (meaning "each day")
Note: A hyphen between "every" and "day" should not be used.
Literary Quote of the Day
From: The Scarlet Letter
“No man, for any
considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude,
without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.”
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), American novelist and short story writer
Published: 1850
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| Nathaniel Hawthorne |
- Joanne
