One word, or two?
Page 3 of 3 — more pairs that trip everyone up.
- Shoe-in Shoo-in
"Shoo-in" (hyphenated, from horse racing) = a sure winner. "Shoe-in" is the common misspelling.
Brew tip You shoo a horse to victory, not shoe it. Hyphenate "shoo-in."
- Showup Show up
Always two words: "show up." There's no noun "showup" — the event is a "showing."
Brew tip If someone arrived, they showed up — two words.
- Smallinsize Small
"Small in size" is a redundancy — small already describes size. Drop the "in size."
Brew tip Just "small." "Small in size" is three words for one.
- Sometime Some time
"Sometime" = at an unspecified time. "Some time" = a period of time.
Brew tip If "a while" fits, use two words: "it's been some time."
- Sometime Some time
SOMETIME (one) is an adverb meaning "at some unspecified time." SOME TIME (two) is a noun phrase meaning "some duration."
Brew tip "At some point" = sometime. "An amount of time" = some time.
- Sometimes Some times
"Sometimes" (one word) is the frequency adverb. "Some times" is almost never what you want.
Brew tip If it answers "how often?" — one word.
- Speakup Speak up
Always two words: "speak up." There's no closed form.
Brew tip If you're telling someone to be louder, it's two words — every time.
- Spellout Spell out
Always two words as a verb: "spell out" (explain clearly or name letter by letter). No closed form.
Brew tip Making it plain? Spell it out — two words.
- Standby Stand by
"Standby" is the noun/adjective (standby passenger). "Stand by" is the verb (please stand by).
Brew tip Before a noun — one word. After a subject — two.
- Standout Stand out
"Standout" is the noun/adjective (a standout performance). "Stand out" is the verb.
Brew tip Before a noun — one word. After a subject — two.
- Standupfor Stand up for
Always three words: "stand up for" (defend). A fixed phrasal idiom.
Brew tip Defending a friend? Stand up for them — three words.
- Take-up Take up
"Take-up" (hyphen) is a narrow technical noun. "Take up" is the everyday verb.
Brew tip As a verb, always two words: "she took up painting."
- Takeintoconsideration Take into consideration
Always four words: "take into consideration." A fixed idiomatic phrase meaning "consider."
Brew tip Four words where one ("consider") would do — but if you use it, all four.
- Takeoffline Take offline
Always two words as a verb: "take offline" (discuss separately or remove from service).
Brew tip Two words. Nothing about "offline" compounds with "take."
- Takeover Take over
"Takeover" is the noun (a hostile takeover). "Take over" is the verb (she took over).
Brew tip If you can swap in "assume control," it's a verb — two words.
- Thankyou Thank you
THANK YOU is two words as a phrase. THANK-YOU (hyphenated) works as an adjective ("a thank-you note").
Brew tip Phrase = two words. Adjective = hyphen.
- Turn-in Turn in
"Turn-in" (hyphen) is a narrow noun. "Turn in" is the everyday verb (submit).
Brew tip As a verb — two words. "Turn in your homework," never "turnin it."
- Turndown Turn down
"Turndown" is narrow — "turndown service" at a hotel. "Turn down" is the verb (reject).
Brew tip As a verb, always two words. The solid form is hotel jargon.
- Turnout Turn up
"Turnout" is the noun (voter turnout). "Turn up" is the verb (she didn't turn up).
Brew tip Different words: TURNOUT for the crowd, TURN UP for the action.
- Underway Under way
Both are accepted; "underway" has been the dominant form in all senses since the 1990s.
Brew tip One word is safer in modern writing. Two words isn't wrong — just older.
- Website Web site
WEBSITE (one word) is universal now. WEB SITE (two words) was AP style until 2010; obsolete.
Brew tip Always one word.
- Workout Work out
"Workout" is the noun (a gym session). "Work out" is the verb (I work out daily).
Brew tip "I did a workout" vs "I will work out." Noun, then verb.
- Workout Work out
"Workout" (noun) is an exercise session. "Work out" (verb) means resolve or calculate.
Brew tip If you're solving it — two words. If you're lifting — one.
- Workout Work out
WORKOUT (one) is the noun ("a hard workout"). WORK OUT (two) is the verb.
Brew tip Same noun-vs-verb split as setup, login, pickup.
- Worn-out Worn out
Hyphenate before a noun: "a worn-out couch." After a verb: "the couch is worn out."
Brew tip Before a noun, link with a hyphen. After "is," let the words breathe.