How to use Everyday and Every day

The word ‘EVERYDAY’ is a lexical item of interesting grammatical and orthographic properties. Grammar in this context refers to the Lexical Category (Part of Speech) of the word, and Orthography is about its spelling. Indeed, its grammatical classification and function in usage depend on its spelling. As an adjective, ‘EVERYDAY’ is spelt as one word – compounding, but as an adverb, the compound word is split into two words: ‘EVERY’ and ‘DAY.’ For better understanding, let us see illustrative sentences as follows:

Illustrative Sentences

·         Chantiwuni prays EVERY DAY. [Adverb]. In this construction, ‘EVERY DAY’ modifies the verb ‘prays.’ It is, therefore, an adverb.

·         Chantiwuni observes EVERYDAY prayers. [Adjective]. In this sentence, ‘EVERYDAY’ modifies the noun ‘prayers’. Therefore, it is an adjective.

·         Yelsuma writes poems about Dagbon Tradition EVERY DAY. [Adverb]. Here, ‘EVERY DAY’ modifies the verb ‘writes’. So, it is an adverb.

·         Writing of poems about Dagbon Tradition is an EVERYDAY activity of Yelsuma. [Adjective]. In this context, ‘EVERYDAY’ modifies the noun ‘activity’. For that reason, it is an adjective.

It is instructive to note that the modifiers – adverbs and adjectives – are just intensifiers. This implies that if they are removed, the sentences are still meaningful. Let us restate the sentences without the modifiers.

·         Chantiwuni prays.

·         Chantiwuni observes prayers.

·         Yelsuma writes poems about Dagbon Tradition.

·         Writing of poems about Dagbon Tradition is an activity of Yelsuma.

Synonyms

To maximize our understanding, we need to state some synonyms of ‘EVERYDAY’ as an adjective and as an adverb.

ADJECTIVE: daily, day-to-day, quotidian, commonplace, ordinary, regular, and conventional.

ADVERB: daily, day by day, day in day out, regularly, steadily, conventionally, and ordinarily.

Conclusion

Fellow learner, you may be surprised about or confused by the seemingly hidden grammatical and orthographic symbiotic information about ‘EVERYDAY’. Please, consult Oxford Dictionary of English (2015) for confirmation. With all humility in certainty, your favorite Literary Discourse would be vindicated.