Everyday vs. every day.

So many grammar issues - which to tackle first?

I'll stick with another really common error for today. A lot of people tend to use "everyday" and "every day" interchangeably, but actually, there is a difference.

When using "every day", the writer literally means that something happens every *single* day. For instance, "I brush my teeth every day."

"Everyday", however, is an adjective (a word that describes a noun) that means commonplace or ordinary. For instance, "This is my everyday jewelry, but when I go to the ball, I'll wear something more expensive."

Most of the time, "every day" is the option that should be chosen.

A lot.

I have to break it to you.

Alot is not a word. This is, perhaps, one of the most common errors that I see in writing - even (*gasp*) professional writing. For example: "We had alot of snow this winter."

Yipes.

This is like saying "I had achicken for dinner."

"A" is still just an article (like "an" or "the") when placed before "lot." "Lot" is a word that means, according to Dictionary.com, "a number of things or persons collectively". When you say "a lot" - or "alot", as the case may be - you're trying to say that you have a big group of something. Keep that "a" away from the rest of the word.

Whenever I teach students this (and repeat it endlessly over the course of the semester), someone invariably yells out, "But can't it sometimes be a word?"

The answer is sort of - but not spelled like that. There is also the word "allot", meaning "to designate." For example, "I will allot a certain amount of money to the vacation fund."

Ta da! That wasn't painful - was it?

Another one?

I mean, seriously. How many blogs should one person have? Blogger might hunt me down soon and start demanding fees.

But I can't help it anymore. The grammar geek in me has been repressed for too long. It's this or I'm going to get all kinds of snarky on a message board, and we don't want that, do we?

Exactly.

So, each day - or every other day - or, really, whenever I feel the grammatically correct creative juices running, I'm going to tackle a common grammar or spelling issue. For years, I've had people begin emails to me with a plea: "Please ignore my spelling and grammar!" For the most part, I do... but wouldn't it be better to bring everyone into the light of understanding?

Aren't you thrilled?

AND because I'm the nice English teacher that I am, trying to save the ink of red pens everywhere, I'll even take requests.

Go forth and learn, my child.