Todays or Today’s – Which One Is Correct? (Full Grammar Guide)

Have you ever paused mid-sentence, fingers hovering over the keyboard, wondering: is it todays or today’s? You are not alone. This tiny apostrophe creates big confusion for students, professionals, and even native English speakers every single day. Whether you are writing a work email, filling out a form, or composing a social media post, getting this right matters — because poor grammar quietly chips away at your credibility.

In this guide, we break down every angle of this grammar question: the rules, the exceptions, the origin of the word, real-world examples, and even Google Trends data. By the end, you will never second-guess yourself again.

Todays or Today’s – Quick Answer

Today’s (with an apostrophe) is almost always the correct form. The apostrophe signals possession — it means something belongs to or relates to the present day. Todays (without an apostrophe) is technically the plural of “today,” but this form is extremely rare and almost never used in everyday writing.

Bottom line: In 99% of real-world writing situations, use today’s.

What Is “Today”?

Before diving into the apostrophe debate, it helps to understand what “today” actually is, grammatically speaking.

“Today” is a flexible word. It can function as:

• A noun — Today is a good day.
• An adverb — I will call you today.
• An adjective (attributive noun) — Today’s weather forecast looks grim.

That third use — when “today” modifies another noun — is where the apostrophe question comes in. When “today” acts as a possessive modifier (showing that something belongs to today), English grammar requires the possessive form: today’s.

The Origin of Today’s / Todays

The word “today” comes from Old English “tō dæġe,” meaning “on [this] day.” Over centuries, as Modern English evolved, the “g” sound dropped, and “tō dæġe” became the simple, everyday word we know now.

Because “today” is one of the older words in English, it has deep roots in Germanic languages. Dutch, German, and Swedish retained the original “g” sound from Old English — but Modern English smoothed it away entirely.

The possessive form “today’s” follows the same apostrophe-s rule that applies to all singular nouns in English. It is not a special exception — it is standard grammar at work.

British English vs. American English Spelling

One of the most common questions writers ask is whether British English and American English differ on this point. The short answer is: they do not.

Both British and American grammar agree that:

• Today’s is the possessive/attributive form and always uses an apostrophe.
• Todays (plural) is valid in theory but almost never appears in standard writing on either side of the Atlantic.

The apostrophe rules for possessives are consistent across all major varieties of English — British, American, Australian, and Canadian. This is one grammar rule where there is no regional variation to worry about.

Key Rule: When to Use Today’s vs. Todays

The One Rule You Need to Know

Use today’s (with apostrophe) when “today” shows ownership or association with the present day. Use todays (without apostrophe) only for the rare plural form — referring to multiple “todays.”

To test which form you need, ask yourself one question: Does something belong to or relate to the present day? If yes, you need today’s.

Situation	Correct Form	Example
Something belonging to the present day	today’s	today’s homework
An event happening on this day	today’s	today’s schedule
The current date	today’s	today’s date
Multiple “todays” (rare, poetic)	todays	“Our todays shape our tomorrows.”
Using today as a simple adverb	today	I’m busy today.

Comparison Table: Today’s or Todays Meeting

One of the most searched phrases online is “todays meeting or today’s meeting.” Here is a direct side-by-side comparison to clear it up once and for all.

Phrase	Correct?	Explanation
Today’s meeting	✅ Yes	Possessive — the meeting belongs to today
Todays meeting	❌ No	Missing apostrophe — grammatically incorrect
Todays’ meeting	❌ No	Wrong apostrophe placement — “today” has no plural
Today meeting	❌ No	Incorrect — needs possessive form before a noun
The meeting today	✅ Yes	“Today” used as adverb — no apostrophe needed

Verdict: Always write today’s meeting. “Todays meeting” without an apostrophe is one of the most common grammar mistakes in professional writing.

Todays Date vs. Today’s Date

Another extremely common search is “todays date or today’s date.” Let us settle this definitively.

Today’s date — with an apostrophe — is always correct. The date belongs to today, making it a possessive construction. The apostrophe is not optional; it is required by English grammar rules.

Here are examples showing correct and incorrect usage:

Correct:

• Today’s date is May 13, 2026.
• Please write today’s date at the top of the form.
• What is today’s date?

Incorrect:

• Todays date is May 13, 2026. ❌
• Please write todays date at the top of the form. ❌
• What is todays date? ❌

The phrase “todays date” without an apostrophe is grammatically wrong. It is missing the possessive marker that tells readers the date belongs to today.

Which Spelling Should You Use?

Let us make this crystal clear with a simple decision framework:

Use today’s (with apostrophe) when:

1. You are using “today” before a noun to show it belongs to the present day (today’s news, today’s agenda, today’s lesson)
2. You are writing in a professional email, academic paper, or any formal context
3. You want to show something is associated with or characteristic of the current time (today’s technology, today’s youth)
4. You are contracting “today is” (Today’s Friday = Today is Friday)

Use todays (without apostrophe) only when:

1. You are deliberately using the poetic or rhetorical plural form (Our todays define our tomorrows)
2. You are referencing the rare literary plural in a creative writing context

Use today (no apostrophe, no “s”) when:

1. “Today” stands alone as a noun or adverb (Today was exhausting. I’ll finish it today.)

Common Mistakes with Todays / Today’s

Understanding common errors helps you avoid them. Here are the most frequent mistakes writers make:

Mistake 1: Dropping the apostrophe before a noun

• ❌ Don’t forget about todays deadline.
• ✅ Don’t forget about today’s deadline.

Mistake 2: Placing the apostrophe after the “s” (todays’)

Some writers mistakenly write “todays'” — with the apostrophe after the s. This would suggest a plural possessive, but since “today” cannot be pluralized in normal usage, this form is always wrong.

• ❌ Todays’ meeting has been postponed.
• ✅ Today’s meeting has been postponed.

Mistake 3: Treating “today” like an adjective without an apostrophe

• ❌ The today weather is warm.
• ✅ Today’s weather is warm.

Mistake 4: Confusing the adverb form with the possessive form

When “today” describes when something happens, no apostrophe is needed. When it shows belonging, an apostrophe is required.

• ✅ I have a meeting today. (adverb — when)
• ✅ Today’s meeting starts at noon. (possessive — which meeting)

Today’s / Today’s in Everyday Examples

Seeing the correct form in real sentences is the fastest way to internalize the rule. Here is a wide range of natural, everyday examples using today’s correctly:

Work and Professional Settings:

• Today’s agenda includes three presentations and a team lunch.
• Please review today’s report before the client call.
• Today’s deadline is non-negotiable — all submissions by 5 PM.
• I need today’s sales figures before I can finalize the forecast.

School and Academic Settings:

• Today’s homework covers chapters four through six.
• Did you understand today’s lesson on fractions?
• Today’s quiz will be worth ten percent of your grade.

News and Media:

• Today’s headlines are dominated by the election results.
• Have you read today’s newspaper?
• Today’s top story involves a major policy shift.

Everyday Conversation:

• Today’s weather is perfect for a walk in the park.
• What’s on today’s menu at the cafeteria?
• Today’s game starts at seven — don’t be late.

Tech and Social Media:

• Today’s app update includes several bug fixes.
• Check out today’s featured post on our blog.
• Today’s livestream starts in ten minutes.

Todays or Today’s – Google Trends & Usage Data

When you look at actual usage data from major style guides, grammar checkers, and search engines, the numbers are overwhelmingly clear: today’s dominates in virtually all contexts.

According to Google Trends and corpus data from platforms like the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and the British National Corpus (BNC):

• “Today’s date” appears hundreds of thousands of times more frequently than “todays date” in published, edited writing.
• “Today’s meeting” is the standard form used in business communication worldwide.
• “Todays” without an apostrophe mostly appears as a typo or a non-native speaker error, not as an intentional plural form.

Grammar-checking tools like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Microsoft Editor consistently flag “todays” as an error when used before a noun — and automatically suggest “today’s” as the correction.

Keyword Comparison Table

Keyword / Phrase	Correct Form	Notes
Todays date	Today’s date	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays meeting	Today’s meeting	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays weather	Today’s weather	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays news	Today’s news	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays schedule	Today’s schedule	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays agenda	Today’s agenda	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays homework	Today’s homework	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays lesson	Today’s lesson	Apostrophe required — possessive
Todays headlines	Today’s headlines	Apostrophe required — possessive
I’ll do it today	Today (no apostrophe)	Adverb — no apostrophe needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “todays” a real word?

Technically, “todays” is the plural of “today,” but it is almost never used in standard writing. In everyday grammar, today’s (with an apostrophe) is the correct and expected form.

Why does today’s need an apostrophe?

The apostrophe shows possession — it signals that something belongs to or is associated with the present day, following the same rule as any other possessive noun in English.

Is it “today’s date” or “todays date”?

It is always today’s date. The apostrophe is required because the date belongs to today.

Can I use “todays” without an apostrophe in a sentence?

Only in very rare, deliberate literary usage — such as “Our todays shape our tomorrows.” In all other situations, the apostrophe is necessary.

Is “today’s” used the same way in British and American English?

Yes. Both British English and American English use the apostrophe in today’s the same way. There is no regional difference on this point.

What is the difference between “today” and “today’s”?

“Today” functions as a noun or adverb (I’ll call today), while “today’s” is the possessive form used before another noun (today’s call starts at noon).

Is “todays'” (with apostrophe after s) ever correct?

No. “Todays'” is never correct. Since today has no standard plural form, a plural possessive does not apply.

What does “today’s” mean when used as a contraction?

“Today’s” can contract “today is” — for example, “Today’s Wednesday” means “Today is Wednesday.” Context tells readers which meaning is intended.

Conclusion

The grammar rule here is simpler than it seems. Today’s — with an apostrophe — is the correct form in almost every situation you will encounter. The apostrophe does one clear job: it shows that something belongs to or relates to the present day. Drop it, and you either have a typo or a very rare literary plural that most readers will simply read as a mistake.

A quick checklist to remember:

• Writing today’s date, today’s meeting, today’s news? → Always use an apostrophe.
• Using “today” alone as an adverb or noun? → No apostrophe needed.
• Tempted to write “todays” before a noun? → Add the apostrophe.

Good grammar is not about following arbitrary rules — it is about communicating clearly and professionally. Now that you know the rule cold, you will never have to second-guess today’s again.