play illustration of a man watching a washing machine overflow
Commonly Confused

'All over sudden' vs. 'All of a sudden'

We'll help you figure it out at once


Is the correct phrase 'all over sudden' or 'all of a sudden'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word and feels like the right word isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn. Something that happens sooner than expected doesn't happen "all over sudden," it happens "all of a sudden." Sudden here is an obsolete noun meaning an unexpected occurrence.

Up next

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play video ie vs eg
i.e. vs. e.g.

 

Often used, often confused. Here's some guidance and insight.

play video between you and i or me
I vs. Me

 

'Between you and __'? Simple guidance for a tricky pronoun.