Make Your Editor Cry: All Ready vs. Already
“All ready” is a phrase meaning “completely prepared,” as in “As soon as I put my coat on, I’ll be all ready.”
“Already,” however, is an adverb used to describe something that has happened before a certain time, as in “What do you mean you’d rather stay home? I thought you already left.”
All ready is a phrase meaning “completely prepared” for something.
Examples:
As soon as I grab my purse, I’ll be all ready.
Is everything all ready for the welcome home party?
Already is an adverb used to describe something that has happened prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time. It can also mean by this time or previously.
Examples:
He had already left when I called.
He already agreed to come.
I'd already left by the time you called.
It can also be used as an intensifier.
Examples:
All right!All right already!
Enough already!
Obviously, “All ready” and “Already” are not interchangeable and should not be confused.
Gregg Bridgeman is the Editor-in-Chief at Olivia Kimbrell Press. He is husband to best-selling Christian author Hallee Bridgeman and parent to three. He continues to proudly serve in the US Armed Forces and has done so in either an active or reserve capacity for more than twenty years as an airborne and air assault qualified paratrooper, earning a Bronze Star for his service. Most importantly, he was ordained in October of 2001 after surrendering his life to Christ decades earlier.