Confusing Words: Anytime (adverb) and Any Time (phrase)
Meaning:
Anytime (at any time; regardless of hour, date, etc.; whenever.)
Any Time (any amount of time.)
Anytime vs Any Time Clarification: The word ‘anytime’ and the phrase ‘any time’ are not interchangeable.
Anytime vs Any Time – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?
English is an advance language. You can make choices between words that are used interchangeably. But, it is necessary to chooce most suitable words for your writing, otherwise, the critics will never leave you.
We hear the word ‘anytime’ almost daily. It is a frequent term. But there comes a question, is the correct word anytime or any time?
The main problem often comes for the writers who face difficulties in choosing the correct word which should be suitable for their writings.
If we observe our today’s case, we will come to know that there is a word (anytime) and a phrase (any time). In most of the formal writings, you can see the phrase, ‘any time’, has been used by the writers.
Let us discuss each term separately. In this way, you can easily get the differences between anytime vs. any time.
Anytime
According to The Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘anytime’ is a variant of omitted unresolving XREF to ‘any time’. On the other side, The Merriam Webster Dictionary says that the word ‘anytime’ is an adverb that means ‘at any time’ or ‘at any time whatever’.
It means that The Oxford Dictionary does not support the word ‘anytime’. It is said that this particular word is Americanism. Mostly, it can be seen in American texts.
1. I can go anytime I want.
2. You can call me anytime but not at night.
In short, you can use the word ‘anytime’ as an adverb only, that will give the meaning as ‘whenever’.
Any Time
This phrase is said to be more formal than the word ‘anytime’. You can use this term without any hesitation because it can give the most authentic meaning to your text.
The phrase ‘any time’ is a noun phrase. Most of the dictionaries define any time as ‘at whatever time’. If you want to refer a particular amount of time, your choice should be the noun phrase ‘any time’.
1. Can we go any time today to the China Mall for shopping?
2. You have to find out any time for your friends.
3. Don’t forget to call me any time you want.
Check Out: The Difference Between Anymore and Any More.
An Important Point
I want to tell you one very important point. If you want to make a prepositional phrase, then the phrase ‘any time’ should be used. In this way, any time always followed by the preposition ‘at’. You cannot use ‘at’ with the word ‘anytime’. If you want to use the word ‘anytime’, then you have to remove the preposition ‘at’ from the sentence.
For example,
- You can call me at any time you choose. (Correct)
- You can call me at anytime you choose. (Wrong)
- You can call me anytime you choose. (Correct)
What Did You Learn?
The word ‘anytime’ and the phrase ‘any time’ are not interchangeable. Anytime is used as an adverb which is a variant of ‘any time’.
The phrase ‘any time’ is a noun phrase which is used to refer any particualr amount of time. It is always followed by the preposition ‘at’ when used adverbially.