Pick “anytime” when you need to use it as an adjective.Pick “anytime” when you can replace it with any other adverb, such as quickly.Pick “any time” when you refer to an amount of time.Pick “any time” when you need to use it with the preposition at.Here are a few ways to pick the right term to help you understand the difference between them and use the correct one. Pass the test Tips for choosing the right word Brownies are an anytime dessert.ĭid you get the difference between “any time” and “anytime”? Unlike any time, the single-word version can’t be used with the preposition “at,” but it can be used as an adjective. The team said they could beat the other team anytime. It can mean “at any time,” “without a doubt,” or “whenever” when you don’t want or can’t specify the time. Any time!Īnytime is a single word functioning as an adverb in the sentence. The two-word version is also used as an alternative to “you’re welcome.” Thanks for your help. “Any time” can also be used without preposition when referring to the amount of time, as in the following example: Do you have any time to come to my office today? When used with a preposition, the phrase can be followed by additional information specifying the time. It’s most commonly used with the preposition “at,” forming the prepositional phrase “at any time,” as shown in the example above.

It means “any amount of time” or “at no particular time,” suggesting that something will happen soon without indicating how soon.

Any time: Meaning, usage, examplesĪny time is not a single word but a noun phrase that functions as an adverb in the sentence. If you want to avoid making a grammatical mistake when writing anytime or any time, it’s good to know the differences between the two terms and their usage so you can be sure that you’re always using the right word. Whether you should leave a space between “any” and “time” when writing is a decision you have to make quickly, so understanding their differences will help you choose the correct one every time.Īlthough using one over the other probably won’t create a misunderstanding between you and the person you’re writing to, it’s still a mistake that will make your writing grammatically incorrect.

anytime is a common confusion, especially among English learners. It's actually possible in AE to write 'Well, if today doesn't work and tomorrow is not good, do you think you will have any time anytime before the deadline? It's due day after tomorrow.' The meanings are that different and they actually have different emphases, in my experience.Any time vs. I wouldn't write 'Do you have anytime to get together today to talk about the Wilmington proposal?' I would consider that a mistake in American English. What is different about this particular one is that in American English both the compound word and the two separate words exist and are used differently. I can certainly accept that 'anytime' is not standard in British English. anyone), although I've read 19th century works where 'any body' was distinctly two words.ĭifferent variants have different spellings and different compound words. I doubt we would have this discussion about 'anybody/any body', 'anywhere/any where', 'anything/any thing' or 'any one' (well, I take that back - we have had discussions about any-one vs.

Anytime one word or two