The Rule
Many words that look like single words are actually two separate words. These are called compound words or fixed phrases.
Common Mistakes
| ❌ Wrong | ✅ Correct | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ofcourse | of course | 两个词 |
| lastday | last day | 两个词 |
| everyday | every day | 注意：everyday 是形容词，every day 是副词 |
| alot | a lot | 两个词 |
| nevermind | never mind | 两个词 |
| eachother | each other | 两个词 |
Detailed Examples
Of Course
Correct: “of course” (两个词)
- ✅ “It’s a sunny day and, of course, the last day of this week.”
- ✅ “Of course, I can help you with that.”
Every Day vs Everyday
Important: These have different meanings!
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| every day | adverb | 每天 | “I exercise every day.” |
| everyday | adjective | 日常的、普通的 | “These are my everyday shoes.” |
Examples:
- ✅ “I study English every day.” (每天学习)
- ✅ “This is just an everyday problem.” (日常问题)
Last Day
Correct: “last day” (两个词)
- ✅ “Today is the last day of the week.”
- ✅ “The last day of the month.”
Memory Trick
When in doubt, check the dictionary — compound words don’t follow simple rules.
Quick test: If you can put another word between them, they should be separate.
- “of the course” → doesn’t make sense, but still written separately
- “every single day” → makes sense, confirms “every day” is two words
Practice
Correct these sentences:
- “Ofcourse I remember you.”
- “I go to the gym everyday.”
- “This is my lastday at work.”
- “I see him alot.”
Answers:
- “Of course I remember you.”
- “I go to the gym every day.”
- “This is my last day at work.”
- “I see him a lot.”