The compound words in this post are ones that give most people trouble. Should they be written as one word or two?
Everyday or every day?
When you want to say “casual” or “ordinary,” as in “everyday clothes,” or an “everyday occurrence,” it is one word.
If it makes sense to insert the word “single,” then you are referring to something that happens every day (or every single day), so it is “every day.” Two words.
Sometime or some time?
This is usually used as one word, as in “I’ll see you sometime next week.”
When it is preceded by “for” or “at,” or followed by “ago,” it is usually two words.
e.g.
I haven’t seen her for some time. I know I was there at some time during Spring Break. I ate supper some time ago.
In the above examples, the emphasis is on “time” when “some time” is used.
Anybody, anyone, anything, anyway, anywhere
To make it easier, we can stop worrying about “anything” and “anywhere.” They are always one word.
And please no anywheres or anyways.
“Anybody,” “anyone,” and “anyway” are two words when the second word is emphasized.
Was there “any body” left in the morgue?
If “any one” person can do the task, it is Charles Atlas.
If there is “any way” to do it, he will find it.
Awhile or a while?
Do not use “for awhile.” The idea of “for” is already implied in “awhile.”
The correct usage would be either “stay for a while” or “stay awhile,” but NOT “stay for awhile.”
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Now you’ll need a while for all this to sink in.