"All of the Sudden" vs. "All of a Sudden": Which One Is Right?

Have you ever had a moment when something you’ve been saying for years without a second thought falls under scrutiny? Maybe you were building suspense while telling a dramatic story when someone interrupted to point out a phrase you were saying incorrectly. Like, say, all of the sudden vs. all of a sudden.

It’s understandable if you slip into self-doubt when it comes to these phrases. Out loud, the tiny a sounds quite similar to the. It’s a classic toward vs. towards situation—you’ve heard it both ways, maybe even see it written interchangeably, for so long that both sound right. Until, all of a sudden, you aren’t so sure you’ve been saying the phrase correctly.

So what is the correct version: all of the sudden or all of a sudden? And how are you supposed to use these phrases? Keep reading to find out that and more about this everyday expression.

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All of the sudden vs. all of a sudden: What’s the difference?

There is no real or grammatical difference between the phrase with the article a versus the, aside from the fact that only one is deemed correct in formal speech and writing.

All of a sudden

This adverb phrase means “unexpectedly” or “without warning.” It’s the (more) grammatically correct version and is considered standard English. It is a holdover from the past—a poetic and slightly archaic way of saying “suddenly.”

All of the sudden

While this means the same thing as the expression all of a sudden, dictionaries don’t consider it a legitimate variant. Though grammarians consider this modern version of the phrase incorrect, preferring all of a sudden, it still appears in casual speech.

	All of a sudden	All of the sudden
Meaning	Happening unexpectedly or suddenly	Happening unexpectedly or suddenly
Use	Accepted idiom in standard English	Considered a grammatical error
Origin	Late 1500s in literary works such as Shakespeare’s The Taming of Shrew	Informally appeared in speech in the early 2000s
Relevance	About 10 times more frequent in published literature, per Google Ngram	Rarely seen in edited publications
In formal writing	Appropriate and widely used	Not recommended
In spoken English	Common and grammatically correct	Increasingly common, mainly in informal speech
When to use	In all situations	In very casual speech

What is the origin of all of a sudden?

There’s no accurate record of the idiom’s year of origin. However, a few pieces of evidence date it back to the 16th century, at the very least.

Among the earliest recorded—and most often cited—uses is Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. In the 1596 play, a character says, “Is it possible that love should of a sodaine [sudden] take such hold?”

With time, of a sudden evolved into all of a sudden.

The version with the was also common in writings and conversation around the same time, maybe even a few years earlier, but the Bard’s usage persisted and became the one that experts prefer.

What’s the right way to use all of a sudden?

You can use the phrase in both formal writing and casual speech to refer to a surprising or dramatic moment.

All of a sudden, the neighbor’s new car hit my garage! He’ll be just as shocked when he receives the bill.
I was walking down the street when, all of a sudden, a black cat crossed my path. I guess today is not the lucky day that my horoscope foretold.
What? All of a sudden, you care about environmental protections, Larry? You drive a Hummer!

So which is correct?

In a comparison of all of a sudden vs. all of the sudden, go with the version that uses an a. While both variations mean the same thing, only one has dictionary and grammarian approval: all of a sudden.

And if you’re really unsure? Suddenly will get the job done.

FAQs

Where did all of the sudden come from?

All of the sudden emerged as a phonetic variation of the correct phrase all of a sudden. While it’s not backed by historical grammar rules, it has become common in casual speech, especially in certain regions and through pop culture. Unlike all of a sudden, which dates back to the 16th century, all of the sudden lacks a clear origin in literary history and is not recognized as standard English.

What is a better way of saying all of a sudden?

A more modern or direct alternative to all of a sudden is simply suddenly. Both phrases mean the same thing, but suddenly is shorter, and some prefer it in formal or concise writing.

Other alternatives include out of nowhere and abruptly. You can use these depending on the tone and context of your writing.

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