Make Your Editor Cry: All the sudden vs. All of a sudden
For many English as a second language folks, a common mistake is to write either “all the sudden” or “all of the sudden” instead of “all of a sudden.”
In many communities where English is not necessarily the first language, this phrase has started to creep into common speech and usage.
The correct phrase is “All of a sudden” when you are trying to say something happened “suddenly.”
“On a sudden” is another historical but outmoded variant.
PRO TIP: If you’re really trying to say something happened suddenly, try this handy time-saving replacement:
“Suddenly.”
More Examples:
Incorrect:
All the sudden we heard an unearthly cry.
All of the sudden he turned around and saw me.
Correct:
He sprang out of the room all of a sudden.
He sprang out of the room suddenly.
All of a sudden, she let out a piercing shriek.
Suddenly, she let out a piercing shriek.
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.