"Not a day goes by but ..." / "Not a day goes by that ..."

Question

Hello.http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-plane-crash-navy-20140914-story.html“He was a good younger brother, but in a way he almost felt like my older brother,” Clements said. Her children, ages 2 and 3, looked up to him too — literally as well as figuratively, she said. “Not a day goes by but they see a plane in the sky and they say, ‘Is that Uncle Nate?’”Is "Not a day goes by but ..." correct? Should it be "Not a day goes by that ..."?

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

But is fine.

but, conj.
1. on the contrary; yet: My brother went, but I did not.
2. except; save: She was so overcome with grief she could do nothing but weep.
3. unless; if not; except that (fol. by a clause, often with that expressed): Nothing would do but that I should come in.
4. without the circumstance that: It never rains but it pours.
5. otherwise than: There is no hope but by prayer.
6. that (used esp. after doubt, deny, etc., with a negative): I don't doubt but he will do it.
7. who not; that not: No leaders worthy of the name ever existed but they were optimists.
8. (used as an intensifier to introduce an exclamatory expression): But she's beautiful!
9. Informal. than: It no sooner started raining but it stopped.
RHUD

CB

HUBLOT · Answer

Thanks a lot, CB.

Is it okay to say "Not a day goes by that ..." in place of "Not a day goes by but ..."?

Cool Breeze · Answer

HUBLOTIs it okay to say "Not a day goes by that ..."

No. You could say: Not a day goes by when they don't see a plane...

CB

HUBLOT · Answer

Thanks a lot for the response, CB. I'm wondering if the meaning of "Not a day goes by but ..." is different from that of "Not a day goes by that ..."? Could you tell me what "Not a day goes by that ..." means?

Here are some examples of "Not a day goes by that ...":

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/opinion/how-we-feel-about-getting-older.html
Not a day goes by that we do not celebrate our life experiences together, share our fears and our hopes, and ask for another day, week or year to experience more.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1263077-man-jailed-for-helping-laura-jessome%E2%80%99s-killers
Not a day goes by that I don’t feel bad, and I always will.

http://www.abc57.com/story/27863663/stepmother-honors-daughter-killed-at-martins-supermarket
“Not a day goes by that I don't think about her.”

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Four+years+prison+kicking+death/10729824/story.html
Not a day goes by that I don’t regret it.

http://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/opinion/columns/all-about-teeth-the-best-toothbrush-and-paste/article_f98f0fca-9c51-11e4-b180-8326d739b98c.html
Not a day goes by that I get the question, “Dr. Goodwin, in your professional opinion which toothpaste and toothbrush is the best?”

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/woman-sentenced-to-years-to-life-in-death-of-payson/article_1b36f3ce-72b7-5e02-b647-aa17448333de.html
“Not a day goes by that my kids don’t ask about their uncle,” said Bria Sutton, Jeffrey Jensen’s sister.

http://www.dailyitem.com/news/memorial-k-honors-woman-s-love-of-children/article_94e0664e-9947-11e4-96a3-eb55a948af2c.html
Not a day goes by that we do not miss her presence.

Cool Breeze · Answer

I can't see any difference other than my personal preference to use when when time is in question. Your examples show that that is common as well. Use it if you prefer it.

CB

CalifJim · Answer

HUBLOTIs "Not a day goes by but ..." correct? Should it be "Not a day goes by that ..."?

Yes, I believe you're right. For "Not a day goes by [that? / but?] ...",

COCA has:

'that' 39
'but' 0

fraze.it has:

'that' 34
'but' 0

CJ

HUBLOT · Answer

Thanks a lot for your responses, CB and CJ.

"Not a day goes by but ..." / "Not a day goes by that ..."

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