Alright or All Right?

by Craig Shrives

Should I write "alright" or "all right"?

The Quick Answer

Alright or All Right?

"Alright" and "all right" are used interchangeably nowadays, but you are advised to avoid "alright" in formal writing.
  • Are you alright? correct tick
    • (This is widely acceptable, but some might consider it sloppy writing.)
  • Are you all right? correct tick
"Alright" and "all right" are used interchangeably these days, but be aware that some people still regard "alright" as non-standard English. Here is a summary of the rules:
  • "Alright" is a non-standard variant of "all right."
  • Even though "alright" is becoming more acceptable, it is best avoided in formal writing.
The infographic below is a graph created by Google's Ngram viewer. The graph shows the gradual and recent rise of "alright."
alright or all right?
See the graph for your yourself.

"Alright" Is Still Not Widely Accepted

Many people use "alright" unaware that it is not universally accepted as a word. (It should be written "all right.") However, the merger of "all right" to "alright" has been underway for over a century, and it is becoming more acceptable. Mergers such as "altogether" and "already" are fully acceptable. They are far older than "alright."

It's Not Right, and It's Not Wrong

spellchecker ignoring alright

Interestingly, the Microsoft Word spellchecker will not highlight "alright" as an error, but it will also not suggest "alright" if you spell it incorrectly. In other words, Microsoft's grammarians are, like many of us, still sitting on the fence with regard to "alright" being accepted as standard.

"Alright" Is Considered More Modern by Some

Some argue that, through common usage over the last century, "alright" has become more acceptable than "all right." The makers of TV show "It'll Be Alright on the Night" are known to have considered "It'll Be All Right on the Night" but opted for the former as a more modern version.

Avoid "Alright" and "All Right"

It is likely that your readers will have different opinions on "alright" and "all right." Therefore, the safest option is to avoid both versions – especially in formal writing. This should not be difficult as they do not lend themselves to formal writing. Here are some examples of avoiding "all right" and "alright":

All right (to reinforce an assertion)

  • It is overdue all right. wrong cross
    • (Delete "all right" or reword.)
  • It is substantially overdue. correct tick

All right (an interjection that means "very well" and normally at the start of a sentence)

  • All right, it is time to discuss Kevin. wrong cross
    • (Delete "all right" or reword.)
  • We agree that it is time to discuss Kevin. correct tick

All right (meaning "okay," "in a satisfactory manner")

  • Her work ethic was all right. wrong cross
    • (Reword.)
  • Her work ethic was satisfactory. correct tick

Use "All Right" in Formal Writing

If you cannot avoid "all right" or "alright," then opt for "all right." No one will argue that "all right" is incorrect.

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? How to write "dos and don'ts" who's or whose? Common errors in writing Easily confused words