Weekly GrammarTip

Two Words or One Word?

any more vs. anymore

The one-word form anymore is now accepted as standard when it is an adverb modifying a verb in negative sentences and in questions: He doesn't play golf anymore; Does he play golf anymore? However, anymore cannot be used as an adjective, as in There isn't anymore meat, or as an adverb modifying an adjective or another adverb, as in I couldn't come anymore quickly; it should be any more in both examples.

The two-word form any more was formerly the only one considered correct, and those who want to continue to use it in all constructions can do so, though publishing houses generally accept or prefer the one-word form when it is correct. Anymore has apparently solidified an imitation of other any words such as anyone, anytime, anyway, and anywhere, even though anymore is not the same kind of formation as these other words, a fact borne out by pronunciation; in anymore, the more gets the stress or there is no stress, but in all the other words, any gets the stress.

The one-word form has the advantage of occasionally preventing ambiguity. He can't eat any more can mean either that he's had all he can eat for the moment or that he's wasting away, whereas He can't eat anymore can have only the second meaning. The context, of course, usually would prevent such ambiguity anyway.

Any more and anymore are used in some regions of the United States to modify a verb in positive sentences: Last year was a bad one, but we'll be all right anymore. The usage puzzles readers from other regions.

any time, sometime

As adverbs, these words are contractions of at any time and at some time. Whenever the full forms cannot be substituted for the contractions, they should not be contractions but two words: Come anytime today, but I can't give you any time tomorrow; He said he'd come sometime soon, but the TV may take some time to fix, and we might have to leave it with him for some time. Both anytime and sometime are occasionally used as adjectives: Litchi nuts are an anytime snack; He's a sometime friend, meaning an inconstant friend; He's a sometime state senator, meaning a former, or onetime, state senator.

 

Source: The Handbook of Good English by Edward D. Johnson.

 

Test Your Vocabulary!

Wanna Race?

On this day in 1948, NASCAR was founded. It's all about going very, very fast—but around and around in ovals. Try our vocab quiz today and see how fast you can go in a straight line.

1. NASCAR: (a) National Spring Cars; (b) North American Stock Car Asphalt Racing; (c) National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing; (d) Hillbilly-speak for "nice car!"

2. econobox: (a) a small economical car; (b) a small engine in a high-performance race car; (c) a railroad freight car without permanent raised sides, ends, or covering; (d)race talk for WalMart.

3. GTO: (a) Gran Turismo Omologato; (b) 'gas, tires & oil'; (c) Pontiac 'Goat'; (d) all the above.

4. oval office: (a) the mobile command station used by NASCAR officials that travels from race to race; (b) slang for the driver's seat in a race car; (c) the oval-shaped area at the end of the suspended plank used by the race starter; (d) an ambulance at a race track.

5. air dam: (a) vent on the top of an engine's exhaust pipe; (b) reservoir to collect air and convert it into power; (c) a strip that hangs under the front grill to help provide downforce; (d) hidden side compartment on a racing helmet.

6. interval: (a) the length of one lap of a standard race track; (b) average length of a classic stock car; (c) a 30-second break between each lap given to each driver; (d) the time distance between two cars racing.

7. short track: (a) a racetrack that is less than one mile in length; (b) a racetrack that is less than two miles in length; (c) a racetrack that is less than 1000 yards in length; (d) a car with an unusually short wheelbase.

8. drag: (a) the pull of a wind gust on a racing vehicle; (b) the amount of wind resistance a car is facing; (c) the length of the fastest straight portion of a racetrack; (d) a discarded piece of a broken wheel axle.

9. pole position: (a) the distance between a lead car and the closest side barrier; (b) a required position; (c) NASCAR driver Fireball Rozenski's finishing position in the 1966 Daytona 500; (d) the foremost position on a starting grid, awarded to the fastest qualifier.

10. stickers: (a) a term drivers use when referring to how their car is handling; when a car is neither loose nor pushing (tight); (b) slang term used for new tires; (c) notoriously pesky drivers; (d)name given to drivers who consistently come in second place.

Here are the answers.  How did you finish?