Anymore or Any more
What is the Difference Between Anymore and Any more?
The traditional
(although now less common) spelling is as two separate words: any more. In the last 50 years or so, the single
word anymore has increased in use and a distinction
between the one-word and two-word spellings has emerged.
In this post, I will
talk about the traditional uses of any more vs. anymore and use example
sentences to demonstrate each of their meanings. I will outline the newly
formed distinction between the two and give you a tip to remember the
difference.
Any more as a Determiner
What does any more mean? When any more is
used to mean an indefinite quantity of something or even the smallest amount, it is functioning as a
determiner. For example,
- Do you want any more food?
- Is there any more pie left?
- I can’t eat any more food; I am
completely stuffed.
- I don’t want any more trouble.
- Forcing people to wait until 67
to collect wouldn’t save taxpayers any more money than the 30 percent cut
to the benefit at age 62 does. –The New York Times
Any more is only used in questions and negative
statements describing the quantity of something. The two-word spelling is near
universal when this meaning is implied.
There are other
contexts, too, where the words must be kept separate. For instance,
- You can’t play basketball any
more than I can fly an airplane.
If the two words were
together in the above example, the meaning would change and the sentence would
be confusing. It wouldn’t be clear whether you are saying that you can no
longer play basketball or you are making a comparison between abilities.
Another example is
when more modifies a following adjective, any must be a
separate word.
- It doesn’t get any more
exciting than overtime in the finals!
Anymore as an Adverb
What does anymore mean? When anymore is used
to mean to any further extent; any longer, it is functioning as
an adverb. For example,
- I don’t go sailing anymore.
- There is nothing for me
here—not anymore.
- The price of gasoline isn’t
cheap anymore.
Anymore, as an adverb, should only find itself in
negative constructions.
You should not use it
in an affirmative context to mean nowadays. In certain
parts of the United States, it is occasionally used this way.
- The price of gasoline is
outrageous anymore. [read: the price of gasoline is outrageous nowadays.]
This use is certain to
confuse your readers—even those in the United States—and is widely rejected.
You should avoid this use in your writing.
Anymore
vs. Any more: Helpful Distinctions
In American English
and other forms of English outside the U.K., there is a useful distinction that
separates any more vs. anymore.
Any more (two words) is reserved for the
meaning even the smallest amount. In other words, when used as
a determiner, the two-word spelling any more is
used.
- I don’t want any more children.
Anymore (one word) is reserved for the
meaning any longer. In other words, when used as an adverb, the
one-word spelling anymore is used.
- You’re not a little kid
anymore.
I, personally, find
this distinction to be quite helpful, and most American writers and publishing
houses observe it.
In British English, it
is still quite common to see any more (two
words) as an adverb in print. This is beginning to change, however, as some
British writers and publishing houses opt to observe the distinction between
the one-word and two-word spellings.
Trick
to Remember the Difference
Still not sure when to
use anymore or any more? Here’s a helpful mnemonic to remember the difference.
I don’t buy shoes anymore because I don’t need
any more shoes.
This is a great
sentence that demonstrates the uses of anymore and any more. When you are using
the word to mean any longer, think the
one-word anymore.
When you are talking
about numbers and quantities, think the two-word spelling any more.
Summary
Is it any more or
anymore? This depends on its function within the sentence. In American English,
Any more is used as a determiner.
Anymore is used as an adverb.
