confusables - Can "whatever" be split into two words?


I tend to write, "say whatever they want", but I'm always tempted to write "say what ever they want". Is it acceptable to split the word in this context?



Answer



No it is not acceptable to split the word in your context:



say whatever they want



Here, whatever is a relative pronoun and it is always written as one word. The only instance where one will find what ever is in the interrogative. For example:




  • What ever does he want?

  • What ever does she do besides complain?



In these cases, ever (an adverb) modifies the pronoun what and, as such, it cannot and should not be compounded with what.


However, one could also have whatever as an interrogative pronoun:



Whatever's wrong with you?



And, finally, whatever, as an adjective, can be used in the following manner:




  • Run whatever distance you can.

  • I'll take whatever solution you've got.



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