Times change: Everytime vs. every time

Language, like life, evolves. Often the changes are slow, almost imperceptible, happening to the spellings and pronunciations and meanings for just a handful of words at any given time. Every time is one such word in transition, as it increasingly is spelled as one word, everytime.

That every time is undergoing change is not surprising as similar words ��� every where, every day, and every one ��� are now commonly spelled as everywhere, everyday, and everyone.

And while everytime is more common, that spelling hasn���t quite gained universal acceptance. Most editors and grammarians would change it to every time as in Every time you smoke a cigarette, you lose 7-11 minutes of your life.

So, for the time being, stick with tradition and spell the word as every time.

Professional Book Editor: Having your novel, short story or nonfiction manuscript proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. I can provide that second eye.



Amazon.com Widgets