Is non stop one word

“Nonstop” is one of those words with a few variations. We need to make sure we know whether it’s one or two words or whether it’s best to keep it hyphenated. This article will explain all the rules surrounding it.

“Nonstop” is correct when writing in American English. It’s appropriate to drop the hyphen because American English users tend to simplify unnecessary spellings. “Non-stop” is correct when writing in British English, where the hyphen is necessary due to the “non-” prefix used.

According to Google Ngram Viewer, “nonstop” is by far the more popular choice in American English. There are some instances where it “non-stop” is used, but it’s much more common to see the one-word variation.

According to Google Ngram Viewer, “non-stop” is the most popular choice in British English. However, it is much closer to “nonstop” than the American English graph, which shows the unhyphenated form is growing in popularity.

In The Cambridge Dictionary and The Oxford Dictionary, “nonstop” and “non-stop” are both defined. Both dictionaries mention that “non-stop” is correct in British English, while “nonstop” is a variant spelling that is correct in both American and British English.

To investigate which spelling is more popular in American English, we can look at which spelling The New York Times usually uses.

On their website, we can see that “nonstop” is mentioned 19,700 times while “non-stop” is mentioned 3,760 times. This difference clearly shows that “nonstop” is the more popular choice in American English.

We can also look at The Daily Mail News site to find out how the results fare in British English.

On their website, we can see that “non-stop” is mentioned 23,800 times while “nonstop” is only mentioned 3,430 times. This is almost the complete opposite to the American English results, showing that the hyphen is necessary for British English.

Is “Nonstop” One Word?

“Nonstop” is correct as one word in American English. It’s common for American English writers to drop things like hyphens when they think they are irrelevant. Since “non” and “stop” are distinguishable in pronunciation, it makes sense for American writers to drop the hyphen.

Check these examples out if you’re confused:

1. I want to get on the nonstop ride to make sure I’m on time.
2. It’s nonstop! I can’t keep listening to the same music over and over!
3. He works nonstop! You need to tell him to calm down.
4. Can we stop being so nonstop? I can’t keep up with what’s happening.

Is “Non Stop” Two Words?

“Non stop” is never written as two words. It’s the only option that we have yet covered, and that’s because neither British nor American English thinks it makes sense to separate the two words. “Non-” is a prefix, so there has to be some connection between it and “stop.”

If you don’t know how it looks, check out these examples:

• Correct: I want to get a nonstop flight toward the States.
• Incorrect: This feels like it’s non stop! I don’t know when I get to catch a breath.
• Correct: I would like to book a non-stop train fare to get me there on time.
• Incorrect: You keep going non stop, and I don’t think you can keep that up!

Is “Non-Stop” Hyphenated?

“Non-stop” is correct as a hyphenated word in British English. “Non-” is a common prefix that usually keeps the hyphen in place. British English users value original language rules more than American English users, which is why the hyphen is still seen here.

British English users tend to prefer sticking to hyphenation rules from the AP Stylebook. AP Style teaches us that hyphens link two words (in this case, “non” and “stop”) when they are used to modify the same noun in the rest of the sentence.

Check these examples out if you’re not sure how to make it work:

1. I would like one non-stop ticket to the end of the world, please.
2. It’s non-stop! Every single day I hear them blasting their stereos.
3. You keep talking non-stop! I can’t keep up with a thing you’re saying.
4. Let’s keep going! I can go non-stop if you think you can!

Is “Stop” Capitalized In The Word “Non-Stop”?

“Non-stop” is not a proper noun. Therefore, there is no reason to capitalize either part of the hyphenated form. However, you might find it useful to capitalize both parts if you write it in a title.

In some titles, you might choose to capitalize every word. If this is the case, then it also makes sense to capitalize both words in the hyphenated form to match the style.