You type a quick email, hit send, then notice it: did you write “todays meeting” or “today’s meeting”? The Today’s vs Todays mix-up trips up even confident writers every single day. It’s one of those small apostrophe errors that quietly chips away at how polished your writing looks.
The good news is that Today’s vs Todays isn’t actually a complicated grammar puzzle once you know the rule. There’s only one correct spelling for almost every situation, and it comes down to a single punctuation mark. This guide breaks the whole thing down in plain, simple language.
By the end of this article, you won’t second-guess the Today’s vs Todays question again. You’ll know the rule, see real examples, and pick up a few memory tricks that make the right spelling stick for good. Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.
Quick Answer: Today’s vs Todays
Today’s is almost always correct.
It’s the possessive form of “today,“ used to show that something belongs to or relates to the present day like today’s news or today’s weather.
Todays, without the apostrophe, is grammatically incorrect in nearly every everyday sentence.
Definitions with Examples
Today’s:
“Today’s” is the possessive form of the noun “today.” It shows ownership, connection, or association with the current day. It can also work as a contraction of “today is.”
Examples:
✅Today’s forecast calls for rain.
✅I haven’t read today’s newspaper yet.
✅Today’s the deadline for submissions.
Todays:
“Todays” would technically be the plural of “today” but since there’s only ever one “today” at a time, this plural form has almost no place in standard writing.
Examples:
❌ Todays meeting starts at 10 a.m.
❌ I need todays report by noon.
✅ Rare literary use: “a story told across a hundred todays” (stylistic, not standard grammar)
The Grammar Rule Behind It
Rule
Add an apostrophe plus “s” to a singular noun to show possession.
“Today” is a singular noun representing one specific day, so it needs ‘s to show that something belongs to it the exact same rule that applies to any other singular noun.
Examples
- The dog’s bowl (belongs to the dog) → Today’s schedule (belongs to today)
- Sarah’s book (belongs to Sarah) → Today’s headline (belongs to today)
- The team’s win (belongs to the team) → Today’s special (belongs to today)
Why People Confuse Them
Most people mix up Today’s vs Todays for one simple reason:
plurals and possessives both often end in “s.” We’re trained to add an “s” to make words plural, like “cats” or “days,” so it’s easy to assume “today” follows that same pattern.
Autocorrect doesn’t always help either; some keyboards drop apostrophes during fast typing, letting “todays” slip through unnoticed.
Pronunciation of Today’s vs Todays
Both words sound completely identical when spoken aloud: “tuh-DAYZ.”
This is exactly why the mistake shows up constantly in writing but almost never in speech nobody can hear a missing apostrophe.
Pronunciation Tip
When you’re unsure which spelling to use, say the sentence out loud and ask: “Does this word belong to today, or am I talking about several present days?” Almost always, it belongs to today, so it needs the apostrophe.
Tone, Context, and Formality
Today’s vs Todays matters most in written communication emails, reports, articles, and social posts. In casual texting, a missing apostrophe rarely causes real confusion.
But in professional or academic writing, it can make otherwise strong work look careless. When in doubt, default to the possessive spelling: today’s.
The Origin of Today’s vs Todays
The word “today” traces back to Old English “to dæge,” meaning “on this day.” As English grammar developed, the apostrophe-s possessive became the standard way to mark ownership for nearly every singular noun, and “today” simply followed that same path.
Easy Rule
If you can replace “today’s” with “the current day’s” and the sentence still makes sense, the apostrophe version is correct.
Examples
Todays agenda = doesn’t hold up grammatically ❌
Today’s agenda = the current day’s agenda ✅
Today’s vs Todays at a Glance
| Feature | Today’s | Todays |
| Grammar function | Possessive / contraction | Attempted plural |
| Correct usage | Yes, in nearly all cases | Almost never |
| Apostrophe | Required | None |
| Example | Today’s weather is sunny | Todays weather (incorrect) |
| Formal writing | Always acceptable | Never acceptable |
Why Do People Say Todays?
Spoken English hides the apostrophe completely, so plenty of people never actually learn the written difference. Others simply assume “today” pluralizes the way “day” becomes “days,” forgetting that “today” refers to one specific day rather than a countable group of them.
Formal vs. Informal Writing
In formal writing resumes, business emails, academic papers always use today’s. It’s the only version accepted by dictionaries, style guides, and editors. In informal texting between friends, a dropped apostrophe usually won’t cause real confusion, but it still isn’t technically correct.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
Correct
✅Today’s game was exciting.
✅Have you seen today’s headlines?
Incorrect
❌Todays game was exciting.
❌Have you seen todays headlines?
Common Situations Where It’s Used
Knowing exactly when to reach for the apostrophe makes the Today’s vs Todays choice almost automatic.
Always Use:
✅Today’s date
✅Today’s news
✅Today’s meeting
✅Today’s forecast
✅Today’s specials
Never Use:
❌Todays date
❌Todays news
❌Todays meeting
Easy Tip
Whenever “today” comes right before a noun and shows that noun belongs to the present day, add the apostrophe.
Common Situations Where Lent Is Used
Always Use:
- After subjects describing a completed past action (“She lent…”)
- After has, have, had
- In formal, academic, and business writing
Never Use:
- “Lended” in any tense or context
- “Lended” even in casual texting or social media
Easy Tip
If you wouldn’t say “sended” or “spended,” don’t say “lended” either. They’re grammatical siblings.
Today’s vs Todays in Everyday Sentences
Today’s Use in Business Writing
“Please review today’s sales report before the 3 p.m. call.”
Today’s Use in News Headlines
“Today’s Top Stories: Markets Rally After Rate Announcement.”
Today’s Use in Social Media Captions
“Today’s outfit, brought to you by iced coffee and good vibes.”
Today’s Use in Academic Writing
“Today’s students rely heavily on digital research tools.”
Today’s Use in Text Messages
“Don’t forget today’s deadline!”
Today’s Use in Marketing Copy
“Today’s deal: 20% off everything in store.”
Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes
Mistake 1: Dropping the apostrophe entirely
Fix: Always add ‘s when showing possession “todays” becomes “today’s.”
Mistake 2: Adding an apostrophe to plain “today”
Fix: Don’t add an apostrophe unless you’re showing possession. “See you today’s” is wrong; it should simply be “today.”
Mistake 3: Confusing possessive with plural
Fix: Remember there’s only one today, so the plural form “todays” rarely applies in real writing.
Mistake 4: Relying entirely on autocorrect
Fix: Proofread manually, since autocorrect sometimes strips apostrophes instead of adding them.
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Today’s vs Todays: Are Both Correct?
No, not in standard, everyday English.
Today’s is correct in virtually every sentence you’ll ever write. Todays only appears correctly in rare, stylistic contexts, such as a deliberately unconventional book or song title.
Today’s or Todays Meeting
Correct: “Today’s meeting has been moved to 4 p.m.” The meeting belongs to today, so it needs the apostrophe.
Todays Date vs. Today’s Date
Correct: “Today’s date is August 26, 2026.” This is one of the most commonly searched Today’s vs Todays comparisons, and today’s date is always the right answer.
Common Phrases
Today’s winner
Today’s news
Today’s weather
Today’s youth
Today’s world
Today’s agenda
Today’s special
Today’s episode
Memory Tricks To Remember The Correct Spelling
The “belongs to” test:
If you can say “belonging to today,” use today’s.
The swap test:
Replace “today’s” with “his” or “her.” If the sentence still makes sense, the apostrophe is correct.
The singular reminder:
There’s only one today, so the plural “todays” almost never fits.
The autocorrect check:
Don’t trust your keyboard blindly glance back before you hit send.
The read-aloud trick:
Say the sentence slowly; if it sounds like something “owns” the next word, add the apostrophe.
Different Parts of Speech
Today (Adverb/Noun)
Refers to the current day itself. Example: “I’m busy today.”
Today’s (Possessive Noun)
Shows ownership or connection to the present day. Example: “Today’s traffic was brutal.”
Synonyms and Alternatives for Today’s
Synonyms
- Current day’s
- Present day’s
- This day’s
- Contemporary
Examples
- Today’s news → the current day’s news
- Today’s weather → the present day’s weather
Antonyms and Opposite Ideas
- Past day’s
- Yesterday’s
- Tomorrow’s
- Former day’s
American vs British English Differences
United States
American English uses exactly the way described throughout this guide; there’s no regional variation to worry about.
United Kingdom
British English follows the identical possessive rule. There’s no dialectal split for this word at all.
Comparison Table
| Region | Correct Form | Notes |
| United States | Today’s | Standard possessive rule |
| United Kingdom | Today’s | Same rule, no variation |
Key Point
Unlike “colour” vs. “color,” Today’s vs Todays isn’t a regional spelling difference it’s a grammar rule that applies the same way worldwide.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Noun (possessive): Today’s belonging to or occurring on the present day.
Synonyms: present day’s, current, contemporary
Example sentence: “Today’s economy demands adaptable skills.”
Word history: Derived from Old English “to dæge” (on this day).
Phrases containing it: today’s date, today’s news, today’s world, today’s youth
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
lend (verb) to give something to someone for temporary use, expecting it back.
Noun
Not typically used as a noun (the noun form is loan or lending).
Synonyms
loan, advance, provide temporarily, extend credit
Example Sentences
- The company lent its warehouse space for the event.
- Could you lend me your notes from class?
Word History
Derived from Old English lǣnan, related to Old Norse roots tied to loan.
Phrases Containing
lend a hand, lend an ear, lend itself to, lend weight to.
Expert Opinions and Dictionary Evidence I Found
What Style Guides Say
Major grammar authorities and dictionaries consistently list “today’s” as the only standard possessive form of “today.”
What Editors Recommend
Professional editors flag “todays” as a typo rather than a stylistic choice in almost every context they review.
What Grammar Checkers Confirm
Most grammar-checking tools automatically correct “todays” to “today’s” the moment they detect it.
What Linguists Note
Linguists point out that the confusion comes from spoken English hiding the apostrophe completely, not from any real grammatical ambiguity.
Comparison Table: Today’s vs Todays
| Question | Today’s | Todays |
| Shows possession? | Yes | No |
| Grammatically standard? | Yes | No |
| Used in formal writing? | Yes | No |
| Sounds different when spoken? | No | No |
| Accepted by dictionaries as standard usage? | Yes | No |
Pro Tip I Learned
The fastest way to catch this mistake:
Read your sentence and ask whether you could swap in “yesterday’s” instead.
If “yesterday’s” fits naturally, “today’s” needs the apostrophe too. It works almost every time, because both words follow the exact same possessive pattern.
In short:
- Today’s = possession or contraction, apostrophe required
- Todays = rarely correct, apostrophe missing
- When unsure, run the “yesterday’s” swap test
Quick Test I Created
Today’s vs Todays Quiz
Fill in each blank with the correct form today’s or todays:
_____ meeting has been rescheduled.
I can’t find _____ newspaper anywhere.
What’s _____ date?
_____ weather looks promising.
Have you checked _____ headlines yet?
_____ lesson covers punctuation rules.
_____ special is grilled salmon.
_____ traffic was unusually light.
I finished _____ assignment early.
_____ episode was the best one yet.
Answer key: Every blank above should be filled with today’s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “todays” ever correct?
Only in rare stylistic or creative contexts, such as a deliberate title. In standard writing, it’s always incorrect.
What does “today’s” mean?
It means something belongs to or is associated with the current day, such as “today’s date.”
Why do people drop the apostrophe?
Because “today’s” and “todays” sound identical when spoken, so the written difference is easy to overlook.
Is “today’s” a contraction or a possessive?
It can be both a possessive noun (“today’s weather”) or a contraction of “today is” (“today’s Friday”).
Does British English spell it differently?
No. Today’s vs Todays follows the same rule in both American and British English.
How can I remember the correct spelling?
Ask if the noun that follows actually “belongs to” today. If yes, add the apostrophe.
Is “todays” technically a plural word?
Yes, technically, but since there’s only one today, this plural form is rarely used in real writing.
Can I use “todays” in casual texting?
It shows up often in quick texts, but it’s still grammatically incorrect.
Do grammar checkers catch this mistake?
Yes, most tools automatically flag or correct “todays” to “today’s.”
What’s an easy trick to test the spelling?
Swap in “yesterday’s.” If that phrase works in the sentence, “today’s” needs the apostrophe too.
Conclusion
The Today’s vs Todays debate really comes down to one small apostrophe with a big impact on how professional your writing looks. Today’s is the correct choice in nearly every sentence you’ll write, while todays almost never belongs in standard English.
Once you understand the possessive rule behind Today’s vs Todays, the mistake becomes easy to spot and even easier to fix. Use the memory tricks, try the quiz, and double-check your writing before you hit send.
Next time you type a message, email, or report, you won’t have to pause and wonder about Today’s vs Todays again. Trust the apostrophe, trust the rule, and your writing will read cleaner from this day forward.
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