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Cup cake Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

The word - always.

Hi Everyone,

A thought popped into my mind about the word - always.

I think it's just a matter of time before a student will ask the question, 'why can't we say - alway - instead of always?'

For example: 'the kids alway play outside.'

I know it's an adverb, but I'm curious why it's always spelt with an 's'.
Lol.. Emotion: smile

Thanks
Cup Cake
  

Top answer

Cup cake I'm curious why it's always spelt with an 's'. The word probably came from some very old expression like "all ways", but over many hundreds of years it became shortened to "always". You wouldn't say "all car" or "all house" or "all city", would you?

— CalifJim

  • Cup cake I'm curious why it's always spelt with an 's'.
  • The word probably came from some very old expression like "all ways", but over many hundreds of years it became shortened to "always".
  • You wouldn't say "all car" or "all house" or "all city", would you?
  • No.
  • You would say "all cars", "all houses", or "all cities".
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6 Answers
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Cup cakeI'm curious why it's always spelt with an 's'.
The word probably came from some very old expression like "all ways", but over many hundreds of years it became shortened to "always". You wouldn't say "all car" or "all house" or "all city", would you? No. You would say "all cars", "all houses", or "all cities". Those are plurals.

Consult an
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Thanks CalifJim. Emotion: smile

You're right in saying that generally we wouldn't say 'all car' or 'all house' etc. However, if you were
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Cup cakeHowever, if you were looking to buy a house and walked into your - dream home - you might say to your partner/friend, 'Wow, now this is what I call, 'all house'.
I don't think so. What I've heard, though, is "THAT's what I call a house" or "Now THAT's a HOUSE!" Same for 'car'.

CJ

Edit: I took about 10 minutes to see i
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Yep...I can see that for sure. Thank you for finding these examples. I know I've heard people say 'all man', 'all woman' etc. I haven't heard anyone say 'all house' etc. I was just speculating as to whether someone might say that, and if they do, it certainly doesn't mean it's common.
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Hi Cupcake,
You may also like to consider the evolution of the standard word 'anyway'. A growing number of people now say 'anyways', to the extent that my dictionary now lists 'anyways' as North American, informal.

Clive.
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OMG...really? Emotion: tmi

I've never heard anyone say that.

I guess it's like hearing some people (many in lower socio ec
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