word choice - All of (the/a/?) time


I've seen someone type "All of a time" before and I've often used "All of the time".


Should it be:



  1. All of the time

  2. All of time

  3. All of a time



As in:



I make mistakes all of the time.




Answer



"All of the time" is correct, but the more commonly used version is "all the time" (dictionary reference).


"All of time" would be wrong in this context, but "for all of time" can be used to mean forever (as opposed to continually, habitually, or continuously). "All of a time" is just wrong, and I've never heard it.


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