It’s interesting that two-word
phrases like “any place,” “a lot,” and “all right” are often squeezed into
nonstandard one-word forms like anyplace, alot, and alright,
but one-word wherever is often written incorrectly as “when ever.”
As a relative conjunction
introducing a conditional clause, whenever means “at whatever time, no matter
when.”
Here are some examples in
which whenever is used correctly:
Whenever you find yourself on
the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.—Mark Twain
Some cause happiness wherever
they go; others whenever they go.—Oscar Wilde.
Whenever I turn on my
computer, the screen says “Monitor going to sleep.”
Here are examples of whenever
incorrectly written as two words:
Incorrect: Journalists are like dogs, when ever anything moves they
begin to bark.
Correct : Journalists are like dogs, whenever anything moves they begin
to bark.
Incorrect: She smiles at me when ever I see her.
Correct : She smiles at me whenever I see her.
Incorrect: The computer crashes when ever I try to game.
Correct : The computer crashes whenever I try to game.
The words when and ever
are written separately when the sense is “when, if ever?”
Here are some examples of when
ever used correctly:
When ever will you get
over your fear of cats?
When ever will you have
this chance again?
When ever will they
learn to not put stuff up there?
When ever did these
feelings start?
When ever are you going to
clean the house?
When, Ever, Is a Murderer
Anything but a Murderer?
If your intended meaning is
“every time that,” write whenever.
