Every Time vs. Everytime: Correct Usage and Examples

Every Time vs. Everytime: Correct Usage and Examples

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Understanding the correct usage of “every time” versus “everytime” is crucial for clear and effective communication in English. While they might seem interchangeable, only “every time” is grammatically correct. This article delves into the proper usage of “every time,” exploring its definition, structural nuances, and providing numerous examples to solidify your understanding. Whether you’re an ESL learner, a student honing your writing skills, or simply someone looking to refine their grammar, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge to use “every time” with confidence and accuracy.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The English language is filled with nuances that can sometimes be confusing, even for native speakers. One such point of confusion arises with the phrase “every time” and its incorrect counterpart, “everytime.” While “every time” is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate frequency or occurrence, “everytime” is simply not a recognized word in standard English. Mastering the correct usage of “every time” is essential for clear and professional communication, avoiding potential misunderstandings and enhancing your overall writing and speaking skills. This article will provide a detailed exploration of “every time,” including its definition, structural aspects, usage rules, and common errors to avoid.

Definition of “Every Time”

“Every time” is an adverbial phrase that indicates each instance or occasion that something happens. It functions as an adverbial of time, specifying when something occurs or how frequently it takes place. The phrase essentially means “on each occasion” or “whenever.” It is used to express a consistent relationship between two events, indicating that one event happens in conjunction with the other. “Every time” adds a sense of regularity or predictability to the occurrence of an action or event.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of “every time” is relatively straightforward. It consists of two separate words: “every” and “time.” “Every” is a determiner that signifies each individual item in a group or set. “Time” is a noun that refers to a point in the past, present, or future, or a duration. When combined, “every time” forms an adverbial phrase that modifies a verb or clause, indicating the frequency or occasion of the action. The phrase typically introduces a clause that describes the event happening on each occasion. The clause often includes a subject and a verb, forming a complete thought.

Here’s a breakdown of the typical sentence structure using “every time”:

Every time + [Subject + Verb + (Object/Complement)]

For example, in the sentence “Every time I go to the beach, I get sunburned,” “every time” introduces the clause “I go to the beach,” which describes the event that triggers the subsequent action of getting sunburned.

Types and Categories of Usage

“Every time” is primarily used to express the frequency or occasion of an event. However, it can be categorized based on the type of relationship it describes between events:

1. Expressing Consistent Consequence

This is the most common usage, where “every time” indicates that a particular action or event consistently leads to a specific outcome. It establishes a cause-and-effect relationship.

2. Indicating Simultaneous Events

In this case, “every time” suggests that two events occur simultaneously or in close proximity to each other. It highlights the concurrent nature of the actions.

3. Emphasizing Repetition

“Every time” can also be used to emphasize the repetitive nature of an action, highlighting how frequently it occurs.

4. Expressing Frustration or Annoyance

The phrase can convey a sense of frustration or annoyance when used to describe recurring negative events.

Examples of “Every Time” in Sentences

The following tables provide numerous examples of “every time” used in various contexts. These examples are categorized to illustrate the different types of relationships the phrase can express.

Table 1: Expressing Consistent Consequence

This table showcases examples where “every time” indicates that a specific action or event consistently leads to a particular outcome.

Sentence Explanation
Every time I drink coffee late at night, I have trouble sleeping. Drinking coffee late consistently causes sleep problems.
Every time she practices the piano, her skills improve. Consistent practice leads to skill enhancement.
Every time it rains, the streets get flooded. Rain consistently causes flooding.
Every time he eats spicy food, he gets a stomach ache. Consuming spicy food consistently results in a stomach ache.
Every time I visit my grandmother, she tells me old stories. Visiting the grandmother always results in storytelling.
Every time the phone rings, the dog starts barking. The phone ringing consistently triggers the dog’s barking.
Every time she wears that dress, she gets compliments. Wearing the dress consistently leads to compliments.
Every time he tries to fix something, he makes it worse. Attempting to fix things consistently leads to further damage.
Every time I open the window, a fly comes in. Opening the window consistently results in a fly entering.
Every time she smiles, the world seems brighter. Her smiling consistently makes the world seem brighter.
Every time I exercise, I feel more energized. Exercising consistently leads to increased energy levels.
Every time he procrastinates, he regrets it later. Procrastinating consistently leads to later regret.
Every time she travels, she learns something new. Traveling consistently results in new learning experiences.
Every time I watch that movie, I cry. Watching the movie consistently leads to crying.
Every time he loses, he blames someone else. Losing consistently results in blaming others.
Every time she sings, everyone is captivated. Her singing consistently captivates everyone.
Every time I bake a cake, it disappears quickly. Baking a cake always results in it being eaten quickly.
Every time he speaks in public, he gets nervous. Speaking in public consistently makes him nervous.
Every time she dances, she feels alive. Dancing consistently makes her feel alive.
Every time I read a book, I learn something new. Reading a book consistently results in new learning.
Every time he helps someone, he feels good. Helping someone consistently makes him feel good.
Every time she paints, she expresses her emotions. Painting consistently allows her to express emotions.
Every time I listen to music, I relax. Listening to music consistently helps me relax.
Every time he visits his hometown, he feels nostalgic. Visiting his hometown consistently makes him feel nostalgic.
Every time she sees a rainbow, she makes a wish. Seeing a rainbow consistently leads to making a wish.
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Table 2: Indicating Simultaneous Events

This table provides examples where “every time” suggests that two events occur simultaneously or in close proximity.

Sentence Explanation
Every time I see him, he’s wearing a different hat. Seeing him and him wearing a different hat happen together.
Every time she speaks, everyone listens attentively. Her speaking and everyone listening attentively occur together.
Every time the sun sets, the birds return to their nests. The sunset and the birds returning to their nests happen simultaneously.
Every time he enters the room, the atmosphere changes. His entering the room and the atmosphere changing happen together.
Every time she laughs, her eyes sparkle. Her laughing and her eyes sparkling occur simultaneously.
Every time the music plays, they start dancing. The music playing and their dancing happen together.
Every time he tells a joke, everyone laughs. His telling a joke and everyone laughing occur together.
Every time she sings, the audience applauds. Her singing and the audience applauding happen simultaneously.
Every time he scores a goal, the crowd cheers. His scoring a goal and the crowd cheering happen together.
Every time she walks into the library, she feels at peace. Her entering the library and feeling at peace occur together.
Every time I think of her, I smile. Thinking of her and smiling happen almost simultaneously.
Every time he opens his mouth, he says something witty. Him opening his mouth and saying something witty are connected.
Every time she looks at the stars, she feels inspired. Looking at the stars and feeling inspired occur together.
Every time I hear that song, I remember my childhood. Hearing the song and remembering childhood happen together.
Every time he sees a dog, he pets it. Seeing a dog and petting it are simultaneous actions.
Every time she cooks, the house smells amazing. Her cooking and the house smelling amazing happen concurrently.
Every time I travel, I meet interesting people. Traveling and meeting interesting people often occur together.
Every time he speaks, people listen intently. His speaking and people listening intently are linked.
Every time she writes, she creates something beautiful. Her writing and creating something beautiful go hand in hand.
Every time I dream, I fly. Dreaming and flying are connected in my dreams.
Every time he paints, he loses track of time. Painting and losing track of time are connected activities.
Every time she reads, she learns something new. Reading and learning are connected processes for her.
Every time I meditate, I find inner peace. Meditating and finding inner peace are linked experiences.
Every time he exercises, he feels stronger. Exercising and feeling stronger are connected physical experiences.
Every time she volunteers, she makes a difference. Volunteering and making a difference are connected actions.

Table 3: Emphasizing Repetition

This table illustrates how “every time” can be used to emphasize the repetitive nature of an action.

Sentence Explanation
Every time I try to diet, I fail. Emphasizes the repeated failure of dieting attempts.
Every time he promises to be on time, he’s late. Highlights the repeated lateness despite promises.
Every time she tries to call, the line is busy. Emphasizes the repeated occurrence of a busy phone line.
Every time I think I understand it, I get confused again. Highlights the repeated cycle of understanding and confusion.
Every time he tries to cook, he burns something. Emphasizes the repeated burning of food during cooking attempts.
Every time I visit, it rains. Rain is a consistent occurrence during my visits.
Every time he sings, he forgets the words. Forgetting the words is a repeated issue during his singing.
Every time she dances, she trips. Tripping is a repeated incident when she dances.
Every time I try to relax, something goes wrong. Something going wrong is a repeated issue during relaxation attempts.
Every time he tries to help, he makes things worse. Making things worse is a repeated occurrence during his attempts to help.
Every time she buys a plant, it dies. The plant dying is a repeated event after she buys one.
Every time I clean the house, it gets messy again immediately. The house getting messy is a repeated event right after I clean it.
Every time he starts a project, he never finishes it. Never finishing the project is a repeated pattern with him.
Every time she plans a vacation, something cancels it. Something cancelling it is a repeated event with her vacation plans.
Every time I watch the news, I get depressed. Getting depressed is a repeated feeling after watching the news.
Every time he invests, he loses money. Losing money is a repeated result of his investments.
Every time she tries to park, she gets blocked in. Getting blocked in is a repeated occurrence when she parks.
Every time I go outside, I forget something. Forgetting something is a repeated event when I go outside.
Every time he sends an email, he finds a typo afterward. Finding a typo is a repeated occurrence after he sends an email.
Every time she wears high heels, she regrets it. Regretting it is a repeated feeling after she wears high heels.
Every time I make toast, it burns. Burning the toast is a repeated event when I make it.
Every time he tries to be nice, people misunderstand him. Being misunderstood is a repeated event when he tries to be nice.
Every time she tells a secret, it gets out. The secret getting out is a repeated event after she tells it.
Every time I take a picture, someone blinks. Someone blinking is a repeated event when I take a picture.
Every time he tries to apologize, he makes things worse. Making things worse is a repeated occurrence when he apologizes.
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Table 4: Expressing Frustration or Annoyance

This table shows how “every time” can convey a sense of frustration or annoyance when describing recurring negative events.

Sentence Explanation
Every time I try to relax, something interrupts me. Expresses frustration about constant interruptions.
Every time I clean the house, it gets messy again immediately. Conveys annoyance at the futility of cleaning.
Every time I park my car, I get a parking ticket. Expresses frustration at consistently receiving parking tickets.
Every time I try to call, the line is busy. Conveys annoyance at the constant busy signal.
Every time I make plans, they get canceled. Expresses frustration at the repeated cancellation of plans.
Every time I leave, it starts raining. Expresses annoyance that rain always starts when I leave.
Every time he opens his mouth, he says something offensive. Expresses frustration at his consistent offensive remarks.
Every time she tries to help, she makes things worse. Expresses frustration at her consistent unintentional harm.
Every time I buy groceries, they go bad before I can use them. Expresses annoyance at the food consistently going bad.
Every time he uses my computer, he messes up the settings. Expresses frustration at his consistent disruption of computer settings.
Every time she borrows my clothes, she stains them. Expresses annoyance at her consistently staining my clothes.
Every time I get comfortable, something uncomfortable happens. Expresses frustration at consistent moments of discomfort.
Every time he gives advice, it’s terrible. Expresses frustration at his consistently bad advice.
Every time she makes a promise, she breaks it. Expresses annoyance at her consistent disregard for promises.
Every time I try to sleep, the neighbors are loud. Expresses frustration at the neighbors’ consistent noise.
Every time he tries to cook, he sets off the smoke alarm. Expresses annoyance at his consistent cooking mishaps.
Every time she watches TV, she falls asleep. Expresses frustration at her consistent inability to stay awake.
Every time I try to focus, I get distracted. Expresses annoyance at consistent distractions.
Every time he tries to be romantic, he embarrasses himself. Expresses frustration at his consistent romantic failures.
Every time she tells a joke, nobody laughs. Expresses annoyance at her jokes consistently failing.
Every time I wear white, I spill something on myself. Expresses frustration at consistently spilling things while wearing white.
Every time he tries to be helpful, he creates more work. Expresses annoyance at his consistent creation of more work.
Every time she plans a surprise, it gets ruined. Expresses frustration at her surprises consistently being ruined.
Every time I get ahead, something pulls me back. Expresses frustration at consistently being held back.
Every time he tries to impress someone, he fails miserably. Expresses frustration at his consistent failure to impress.

Usage Rules for “Every Time”

The usage of “every time” is relatively straightforward, but adhering to these rules will ensure clarity and grammatical correctness:

  1. Use “every time” as two separate words. “Everytime” is not a recognized word in standard English.
  2. Use “every time” to introduce a clause indicating the occasion or frequency of an action. The clause typically includes a subject and a verb.
  3. The tense in the “every time” clause should be consistent with the tense in the main clause. For example, if the main clause is in the present tense, the “every time” clause should also be in the present tense.
  4. “Every time” can be placed at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. If it’s at the beginning, it’s usually followed by a comma.

Example:

  • Correct: Every time I go to the gym, I feel better.
  • Correct: I feel better every time I go to the gym.
  • Incorrect: Everytime I go to the gym, I feel better.

Common Mistakes: “Every Time” vs. “Everytime”

The most common mistake is using “everytime” as a single word. This is incorrect. Always use “every time” as two separate words. Another common mistake is using the wrong tense in either the “every time” clause or the main clause. Ensure that the tenses are consistent to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Here’s a table illustrating common mistakes and corrections:

Incorrect Correct Explanation
Everytime I eat chocolate, I feel happy. Every time I eat chocolate, I feel happy. “Everytime” is not a word.
Every time I went to the store, I bought milk. Every time I go to the store, I buy milk. Inconsistent tense (present tense is needed to show regular occurence).
I am happy everytime I see you. I am happy every time I see you. “Everytime” is not a word.
Every time she will sing, the audience cheers. Every time she sings, the audience cheers. Incorrect tense usage with ‘will sing’.
Everytime he studies, he will get good grades. Every time he studies, he gets good grades. “Everytime” is not a word, and incorrect tense usage with ‘will get’.

Practice Exercises

These exercises will help you solidify your understanding of “every time.”

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following sentences using “every time” + a clause.

Question Answer
1. ________, I feel relaxed. Every time I listen to music, I feel relaxed.
2. ________, he gets nervous. Every time he speaks in public, he gets nervous.
3. ________, she learns something new. Every time she travels, she learns something new.
4. ________, the dog barks. Every time the doorbell rings, the dog barks.
5. ________, I get a headache. Every time I look at the screen for too long, I get a headache.
6. ________, she smiles. Every time she sees a puppy, she smiles.
7. ________, he forgets his keys. Every time he leaves the house, he forgets his keys.
8. ________, the sun shines. Every time it stops raining, the sun shines.
9. ________, the baby cries. Every time the baby is hungry, the baby cries.
10. ________, the birds sing. Every time the morning comes, the birds sing.
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Exercise 2: Correct the Sentences

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.

Question Answer
1. Everytime I exercise, I feel great. Every time I exercise, I feel great.
2. Every time she will cook, she burns something. Every time she cooks, she burns something.
3. I am happy everytime I see you. I am happy every time I see you.
4. Every time he will try, he fails. Every time he tries, he fails.
5. She is sad everytime she watches that movie. She is sad every time she watches that movie.
6. Everytime they play music, I dance. Every time they play music, I dance.
7. Every time I will eat spicy food, I sweat. Every time I eat spicy food, I sweat.
8. Everytime he will laugh, everyone smiles. Every time he laughs, everyone smiles.
9. Every time she will read, she learns. Every time she reads, she learns.
10. Everytime you will call, I answer. Every time you call, I answer.

Exercise 3: Sentence Completion

Complete each sentence using “every time” and a logical clause that makes sense.

Question Answer
1. I feel sleepy ________. I feel sleepy every time I read before bed.
2. He gets excited ________. He gets excited every time he plays video games.
3. She feels happy ________. She feels happy every time she spends time with her friends.
4. The car breaks down ________. The car breaks down every time I take it on a long trip.
5. I get hungry ________. I get hungry every time I smell freshly baked bread.
6. He feels inspired ________. He feels inspired every time he visits an art museum.
7. She gets nervous ________. She gets nervous every time she has to give a presentation.
8. The computer crashes ________. The computer crashes every time I try to run too many programs at once.
9. I feel grateful ________. I feel grateful every time I think about my family.
10. He gets motivated ________. He gets motivated every time he sets a new goal.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding the nuances of “every time” in more complex sentence structures can be beneficial. This includes using “every time” in embedded clauses or in conjunction with other adverbs of time. For instance, you can combine “every time” with adverbs like “almost” or “just” to add subtle shades of meaning.

Example:

  • Almost every time I go to that restaurant, they are out of my favorite dish.
  • Just every time I think I’m finished, something else needs to be done.

Additionally, exploring the use of “every time” in different registers of English (formal vs. informal) can provide a deeper understanding of its versatility. While “every time” is generally acceptable in both formal and informal contexts, being aware of alternative phrases that might be more appropriate in specific situations can enhance your communication skills.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are some frequently asked questions about “every time”:

  1. Is “everytime” a real word?

    No, “everytime” is not a recognized word in standard English. The correct phrase is always “every time,” written as two separate words.

  2. What part of speech is “every time”?

    “Every time” functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically an adverbial of time. It modifies a verb or clause, indicating the frequency or occasion of an action.

  3. Can I use “every time” at the end of a sentence?

    Yes, “every time” can be used at the end of a sentence. The meaning remains the same, but the sentence structure changes slightly. For example: “I feel happy every time I see you.”

  4. Does the tense have to be the same in both clauses when using “every time”?

    Generally, yes. The tense in the “every time” clause should be consistent with the tense in the main clause to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. However, there can be exceptions depending on the specific context and intended meaning.

  5. Is there a more formal alternative to “every time”?

    Yes, in more formal writing, you could use phrases like “each time,” “on every occasion,” or “whenever” as alternatives to “every time.”

  6. Can “every time” be used to express a condition?

    While “every time” primarily expresses frequency or occasion, it can sometimes imply a conditional relationship. However, using “if” or “when” might be clearer in explicitly conditional sentences.

  7. How is “every time” different from “all the time”?

    “Every time” indicates that something happens on each specific occasion, while “all the time” means constantly or continuously. “Every time” implies a trigger or event, whereas “all the time” suggests a state of being.

  8. Is it okay to start a sentence with “every time”?

    Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to start a sentence with “every time.” When used at the beginning of a sentence, it is often followed by a comma, but not always required for short sentences.

Conclusion

Mastering the correct usage of “every time” is a fundamental aspect of English grammar. By understanding its definition, structural components, and usage rules, you can confidently incorporate this phrase into your writing and speaking. Remember that “every time” should always be written as two separate words, and pay attention to tense consistency within your sentences. With the knowledge and practice provided in this article, you can avoid common mistakes and communicate with greater precision and clarity. Continue practicing with different sentence structures and contexts to further solidify your understanding and enhance your overall language proficiency.