student asking question

Are "all right" and "alright" the same? Which one is more common?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Great question. You may be surprised to learn that "alright" is simply and incorrect spelling of is "all right" and is not considered to be gramatically correct. Although you might see "alright" in some informal writing, formally it is always considered as incorrect. To use the expression without worrying about being incorrect, it is best to spell it as two words: "all right". The reason why "alright" is still not acceptable is that, first no dictionary accepts it as the correct spelling. The second reason is that in some contexts, "alright" will not work, and in all contexts, "all right" will. Both words mean “OK,” “acceptable,” “well,” or “satisfactory,” but "all right" can have other meanings too. Ex: My exam answers were alright. This conveys the sense that generally, my test answers were “just acceptable.” Ex: My exam answers were all right. The most likely meaning of this sentence is that all of my answers are correct, but it could also mean that I answered the questions adequately. If you use "alright" informally in letters or texts to friends, people will certainly know what it means. But when your writing is being published, in a formal situation or evaluated, use "all right".

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