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 alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'none' singular or plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play video his or her
Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.