ENGLISH
REFERENCE

every day

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. This means something happens each day, without missing a day.

fixed phr.. An adverbial phrase of frequency indicating that an action occurs on each day. It is distinct from the single-word adjective 'everyday', which means 'ordinary' or 'commonplace'.


SIMPLE

I drink coffee every day.

CONTEXTUAL

To learn a language, it's important to practice a little bit every day.

COMPLEX

The monks followed a strict routine, waking at dawn to pray in the chapel every day for decades.

Usage

This two-word phrase functions as an adverb, usually placed at the end of a sentence.

Teaching tip

The key distinction is between the two-word adverbial 'every day' (answers 'When?') and the one-word adjective 'everyday' (answers 'What kind?').

Pitfall

Traffic is an every day problem.Traffic is an everyday problem.Use the one-word 'everyday' as an adjective before a noun; use the two-word 'every day' to say when something happens.

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