Today or To Day: The Right Spelling You Should Use

Today or to day? The correct spelling in modern English is today (one word). To day is considered outdated and is almost never used in current English writing.

Whether you’re writing an email, essay, blog post, business document, or social media caption, today is the standard spelling accepted in both British English and American English.

Many English learners confuse these forms because English contains many words that can be written as either one word or two words, such as anytime and any time.

This guide explains the correct spelling, the history behind the word, pronunciation, common mistakes, regional usage, and practical examples. By the end, you’ll know exactly when to use today and why to day should usually be avoided.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer

The correct spelling is today.

Spelling	Correct?	Notes
Today	✅ Yes	Standard spelling in modern English.
To Day	❌ No (Modern English)	An old form that is no longer used in normal writing.

Examples

✅ I will finish the report today.
✅ Today is my first day at work.
✅ The meeting starts today at 2:00 PM.
❌ I will finish the report to day.

In modern English grammar, dictionaries, style guides, and grammar checkers all recommend today as the correct spelling.

The Origin of Today or To Day

The word today has a long history in the English language.

In Old English, people often wrote time expressions as separate words. The phrase to day literally meant “on this day.” Over time, frequent use caused the two words to merge into one compound word.

This process is common in English. Many expressions gradually become closed compounds after years of regular use.

Examples include:

Today
Tomorrow
Tonight
Everyday (in some contexts)
Nowadays

Language naturally changes over time. As spelling became more standardized through dictionaries and education, today replaced the older form to day.

Why Did the Spelling Change?

Several reasons explain the change:

English spelling became standardized.
Dictionaries adopted one accepted form.
Writers preferred shorter, simpler words.
Printing and publishing encouraged consistency.
Schools began teaching the single-word spelling.

Today, to day survives only in historical books or very old documents.

British English vs American English Spelling

Unlike many words that differ between British and American English, today has exactly the same spelling in both varieties.

Whether you’re writing for readers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or other English-speaking countries, the correct spelling remains today.

Feature	British English	American English
Correct spelling	Today	Today
Accepted in formal writing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Used in business writing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Used in academic writing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
“To day” accepted?	❌ No	❌ No

Examples

British English

Today the weather is pleasant.
I received the parcel today.

American English

Today is a busy day.
We’re launching the project today.

There is no spelling difference between British and American English for this word.

Pronunciation of Today or To Day

The correct pronunciation is today.

Pronunciation: /təˈdeɪ/

It sounds like:

tuh-DAY

The second syllable receives the main stress.

Word	Pronunciation	Sounds Correct?
Today	/təˈdeɪ/	✅ Yes
To Day	/təˈdeɪ/	Historically the same, but not used in modern English

How It Sounds in Everyday Speech

Native English speakers always pronounce today as one natural word.

Examples:

I’ll call you today.
We have an important meeting today.
Today is much warmer than yesterday.

Even though the pronunciation is the same, modern writers always spell it as today, not to day.

There is no pronunciation difference between British English and American English.

Why People Confuse Today or To Day

Many English learners wonder whether the correct spelling is today or to day because English contains many compound words that have changed over time.

Here are the most common reasons for the confusion.

1. They Look Like Two Separate Words

Someone may think that to and day should stay separate because each word has its own meaning.

However, together they form a single time expression, so the correct spelling is today.

2. Old Books Used “To Day”

If you read literature from the 1700s or 1800s, you may find to day.

That spelling reflected older English usage, but modern dictionaries no longer recommend it.

3. Similar Words Create Confusion

English includes words that can appear as either one word or two words depending on context.

Examples include:

Correct Compound	Separate Form
Today	To day (obsolete)
Tomorrow	To morrow (historical)
Tonight	To night (historical)
Anytime	Any time (context-dependent)
Everyday	Every day (different meanings)

Because of these patterns, many learners incorrectly assume today follows the same rule.

4. Typing Mistakes

Fast typing often creates accidental spaces.

For example:

❌ to day
✅ today

Grammar checkers and proofreading tools usually detect and correct this mistake automatically.

5. Learning English as a Second Language

Students studying English grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills often memorize words individually instead of learning common compound words.

This makes it easier to separate words that should remain together.

Which Spelling Should You Use?

For almost every situation, you should write today.

It is the standard spelling used in:

Academic writing
Professional writing
Business communication
Emails
Reports
News articles
Blog posts
Social media
Creative writing
Everyday conversations

Audience-Based Advice

Audience	Recommended Spelling
United States	Today
United Kingdom	Today
Canada	Today
Australia	Today
New Zealand	Today
International English	Today

When Is “To Day” Acceptable?

Only in very limited situations, such as:

Quoting historical documents
Studying Old English or Early Modern English
Discussing language history
Reproducing original literary texts

For modern communication, always choose today.

Professional Writing Tip

Whether you’re writing:

an email,
a school assignment,
a research paper,
a website article,
a business proposal,
or a social media update,

today is the only spelling that looks professional and grammatically correct.

Using to day in modern writing can make your work appear outdated or incorrect.

Common Mistakes with Today or To Day

Many writers accidentally separate today into two words or misuse it in a sentence. The table below highlights the most common mistakes and their correct forms.

Incorrect	Correct	Why?
❌ To day I am busy.	✅ Today I am busy.	Today is one word in modern English.
❌ We will meet to day.	✅ We will meet today.	Never separate the word in current writing.
❌ I completed the task to day.	✅ I completed the task today.	Standard English uses today.
❌ The news was published to day.	✅ The news was published today.	Use the closed compound form.
❌ Submit your assignment to day.	✅ Submit your assignment today.	Dictionaries recognize only today in modern usage.

Tips to Avoid These Mistakes

Always write today as one word.
Proofread your writing before submitting it.
Use a grammar checker if you’re unsure.
Remember that today is accepted in both formal and informal writing.
Avoid copying outdated spellings from historical texts unless you’re quoting them.

Today or To Day in Everyday Examples

The word today appears in almost every type of writing. Here are examples from different situations.

Emails

Today, I have attached the updated report.
I will respond to your request today.
Please complete the task today if possible.

News

The company announced its latest product today.
Government officials met today to discuss new policies.
Weather conditions improved today across the region.

Social Media

Feeling excited today!
Today was an amazing day with friends.
Starting a new challenge today.

Academic Writing

The experiment begins today.
Today, researchers continue to study climate change.
Students submitted their projects today.

Business Communication

Today’s meeting starts at 10:00 AM.
Sales increased significantly today.
Please send the invoice today.

Everyday Conversation

What are you doing today?
Today feels much cooler than yesterday.
I saw my teacher today.

In every example above, today is written as one word because that is the standard spelling in modern English, academic writing, professional writing, and everyday communication.

Easy Trick to Remember Today or To Day

A simple memory trick can help you avoid this mistake forever.

Memory Trick

Think of “today” as one complete point in time.

Just as you write:

tomorrow
tonight
nowadays

you should also write:

today

Another Easy Rule

If you mean this day, write today.

If you ever type to day, remove the space.

Quick Reminder

✅ Today = Correct

❌ To day = Outdated and incorrect for modern writing

This simple rule works whether you’re writing an essay, email, report, article, or text message.

Today or To Day – Google Trends & Usage Data

Search interest shows that “today” is overwhelmingly more common than “to day” because it is the accepted spelling in modern English.

Usage Around the World

Country/Region	Preferred Spelling
United States	Today
United Kingdom	Today
Canada	Today
Australia	Today
New Zealand	Today
India	Today
Pakistan	Today

The phrase to day mainly appears in:

Historical books
Old newspapers
Literature from previous centuries
Discussions about the history of the English language

Modern dictionaries, educational websites, grammar guides, and writing style guides consistently recommend today.

Comparison Table

Feature	Today	To Day
Modern English	✅ Yes	❌ No
Formal Writing	✅ Yes	❌ No
Academic Writing	✅ Yes	❌ No
Business Communication	✅ Yes	❌ No
Social Media	✅ Yes	❌ No
Historical Documents	Rare	✅ Yes
Dictionary Standard	✅ Yes	❌ No

FAQs

Is today one word or two words?

Today is one word. It is the standard spelling in modern English and should be used in all types of writing.

Is to day ever correct?

Only in historical texts or when quoting old documents. In modern English, to day is considered outdated and should generally be avoided.

Why did people write to day in the past?

Earlier forms of English often wrote time expressions as separate words. Over time, to day evolved into the closed compound today as English spelling became standardized.

Is today correct in both British and American English?

Yes. Today is the correct spelling in both British English and American English. There is no regional spelling difference.

Can I use today in formal writing?

Yes. Today is appropriate for academic papers, business communication, professional emails, reports, news articles, and other formal documents.

How do you pronounce today?

The correct pronunciation is /təˈdeɪ/, which sounds like tuh-DAY. The stress falls on the second syllable.

Why do grammar checkers mark to day as incorrect?

Modern dictionaries and grammar rules recognize today as the standard spelling. Grammar checkers flag to day because it is obsolete in contemporary English.

Conclusion

The correct spelling is today, not to day. While to day appeared in older forms of English, it has been replaced by today in modern usage. Whether you’re writing an email, school assignment, business report, blog post, or social media update, today is the only spelling you should use.

It is accepted in both British and American English, easy to pronounce, and recognized by dictionaries, grammar checkers, and style guides. Remember that today is a single compound word representing the present day. By following this simple rule, you’ll write with greater accuracy, confidence, and professionalism.