Wrong phrase: 'today morning' (this morning)

'Today morning' is nonstandard in English. Native speakers say 'this morning', or choose alternatives like 'earlier today' or a specific clock time when they need precision.

Below: a short answer, a clear explanation (including spacing and a.m. notes), plenty of wrong/right examples for work, school and casual contexts, ready-to-paste rewrites, and a simple memory trick to lock in the correct form.

Quick answer

Replace "today morning" with "this morning". If you want a broader or more formal reference, use "earlier today" or "at [time] today".

Correct: I went for a jog this morning.
Incorrect: I went for a jog today morning.
Formal/broad alternative: I submitted the report earlier today.
Fronting the time often helps: This morning, I finished the report.

Core explanation (grammar, spacing, hyphenation)

English treats the current day differently from other day words. For past or future days we say "yesterday morning" or "tomorrow morning." For the present day, we use "this" with parts of the day: "this morning," "this afternoon," "this evening."

Spacing and abbreviations:

"this morning" is two words; don't write "today morning."
"this a.m." is acceptable in notes but uncommon in formal writing-prefer "this morning."
When you need precision, use a time: "at 9:00 this morning" or "earlier today."

Short grammar primer: "today" is an adverb or noun that refers to the whole day; "this" is a determiner used before nouns like "morning." That difference explains why "this morning" is standard and "today morning" sounds off.

Real usage: work, school, casual

Here are natural examples for different contexts. Each shows the incorrect and the corrected phrasing.

Work - Incorrect: I emailed the client today morning. Work -
Correct: I emailed the client this morning.
Work - Incorrect: The meeting started today morning at 9. Work -
Correct: The meeting started this morning at 9.
School - Incorrect: I reviewed the lecture slides today morning. School -
Correct: I reviewed the lecture slides this morning.
School - Incorrect: The professor posted the update today morning. School -
Correct: The professor posted the update this morning.
Casual - Incorrect: I had coffee today morning. Casual -
Correct: I had coffee this morning.
Casual - Incorrect: She called me today morning. Casual -
Correct: She called me this morning.

Wrong vs right examples you can copy

Copy these pairs into your drafts to train your eye. Six quick swaps are below.

Wrong: I went for a jog today morning.
Right: I went for a jog this morning.
Wrong: Today morning there was heavy traffic.
Right: This morning there was heavy traffic.
Wrong: She left today morning instead of noon.
Right: She left this morning instead of noon.
Wrong: We fixed the bug today morning.
Right: We fixed the bug this morning.
Wrong: I felt sick today morning.
Right: I felt sick this morning.
Wrong: He sent the files today morning.
Right: He sent the files this morning.

How to fix your own sentence (rewrites)

Simple substitution often works, but sometimes a smoother rewrite helps the tone or clarity. Follow these steps:

Decide whether you mean the morning specifically or any earlier time today.
Replace "today morning" with "this morning" or "earlier today" or "at [time] today".
Reread and adjust the sentence for natural flow.

Three quick rewrites you can copy:

Original: The team completed the draft today morning.
Rewrite: The team completed the draft this morning.
Original: Today morning I didn't have time to reply.
Rewrite: This morning I didn't have time to reply.
Original: We made those changes today morning before the call.
Rewrite: We made those changes this morning, before the call.

A simple memory trick

Link the correct phrase to the idea of the current part of the day. Picture "this" pointing to the morning that is happening now: "this morning." Saying the phrase aloud a few times after writing it helps cement the pattern.

If you see "today" + part of day, pause-"today morning" is a flag to change it.
Practice by scanning a page and replacing any "today morning" with "this morning" in bulk.
Say three corrected sentences out loud each day until it feels natural.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Fixing one collocation often reveals others. Scan for these common patterns:

Split words that should be closed (e.g., "any one" vs "anyone").
Incorrect determiners with time phrases (e.g., "today afternoon" → "this afternoon").
Overuse or misuse of abbreviations (e.g., "this a.m." in formal prose).
Verb-form or preposition errors caused by direct translation from another language.

FAQ

Is "today morning" ever correct?

Not in standard English. Replace it with "this morning" or "earlier today."

When should I use "earlier today" instead of "this morning"?

Use "earlier today" when you mean some time earlier in the day without specifying the morning period, or when the exact time or part of day isn't important.

Can I write "this a.m."?

"This a.m." works in quick notes or informal contexts, but "this morning" is clearer in speech and formal writing.

Why is "yesterday morning" correct but "today morning" not?

"Yesterday" and "tomorrow" naturally pair with parts of the day. For the current day, English prefers the determiner "this" with parts of the day: "this morning."

How do I stop writing the incorrect form?

Search your documents for "today morning" and replace it with "this morning" or "earlier today." Practicing rewrites and saying the corrected phrase aloud helps make the change automatic.

Make the fix automatic

Small collocation fixes improve clarity immediately. Run a quick search in your drafts for "today morning" and apply the swaps above. If you write a lot, set a quick style or find-and-replace for this specific mistake.