Today Morning vs This Morning: Which Is Correct?

Today Morning vs This Morning: “This morning” is the standard and natural expression in English when you are talking about the morning of today. “Today morning” is generally not used in standard American or British English, although it can be heard in some regional varieties of English.

For example:

• ✅ I saw him this morning.
• ❌ I saw him today morning.

The easiest rule is:

Use “this morning,” not “today morning,” in standard English.

But there are a few important details about tense and meaning that are worth understanding.

Today Morning or This Morning: Quick Answer

Expression	Standard English?	Natural?	Example
This morning	Yes	Yes	I called her this morning.
Today morning	Generally no	No	❌ I called her today morning.
Today	Yes	Yes	I called her today.
This afternoon	Yes	Yes	I will call her this afternoon.
This evening	Yes	Yes	We are meeting this evening.

Correct:

I went to work this morning.

Incorrect or unnatural in standard English:

I went to work today morning.

If you want to emphasize the day, simply use “today”:

I went to work today.

What Does “This Morning” Mean?

“This morning” refers to the morning of today.

The word “this” identifies the current or relevant morning.

Examples

• I woke up early this morning.
• She sent me an email this morning.
• We had breakfast together this morning.
• Did you see John this morning?
• It was raining this morning.

In each sentence, “this morning” means the morning of today.

Is “Today Morning” Correct?

In standard English, “today morning” is generally not considered a natural expression.

Native speakers normally say:

• this morning
• today
• earlier this morning

rather than today morning.

Compare:

❌ I went shopping today morning.

✅ I went shopping this morning.

❌ She called me today morning.

✅ She called me this morning.

❌ What did you do today morning?

✅ What did you do this morning?

The phrase “today morning” may occur in some regional varieties of English, but learners who want to follow widely accepted American or British usage should choose “this morning.”

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Why Do We Say “This Morning” Instead of “Today Morning”?

English commonly uses “this” with parts of the day:

• this morning
• this afternoon
• this evening
• tonight

We generally don’t insert “today” before these expressions.

For example:

• ✅ I saw her this morning.
• ✅ I’ll call him this afternoon.
• ✅ We’re meeting this evening.
• ✅ I’ll finish it tonight.

The word “today” already identifies the current day, while “this morning” naturally identifies its morning period.

This Morning vs. Today

Although “this morning” and “today” can refer to the same day, they are not interchangeable in every sentence.

This Morning

Use “this morning” when you specifically mean the morning period.

Example:

I had an important meeting this morning.

This tells us that the meeting happened during the morning.

Today

Use “today” when you mean the current day as a whole or when the exact part of the day is not important.

Example:

I have an important meeting today.

This tells us that the meeting is happening today, but it does not specify whether it is in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

Compare:

I worked this morning.

The speaker specifically means the morning.

I worked today.

The speaker means sometime during today or is referring to today’s work generally.

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This Morning vs. Today Morning Examples

Here are some common examples to help you remember the difference.

Example 1

❌ I woke up at 7 o’clock today morning.

✅ I woke up at 7 o’clock this morning.

Example 2

❌ She visited the doctor today morning.

✅ She visited the doctor this morning.

Example 3

❌ We discussed the project today morning.

✅ We discussed the project this morning.

Example 4

❌ Did you eat breakfast today morning?

✅ Did you eat breakfast this morning?

Example 5

❌ He sent the documents today morning.

✅ He sent the documents this morning.

Can You Say “Today” Instead?

Yes.

If you don’t need to specifically mention the morning, “today” is perfectly correct.

Examples:

• I went to the office today.
• She called me today.
• We have a meeting today.
• He submitted the assignment today.
• I haven’t seen her today.

However, if you specifically want to say that something happened during the morning, use “this morning.”

Compare:

I called him today.

This only tells us that the call happened today.

I called him this morning.

This tells us that the call happened during today’s morning.

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“This Morning” With Different Tenses

One of the most important things to understand is that “this morning” can be used with different tenses depending on whether the morning is considered finished and what the speaker wants to express.

Simple Past

The simple past is very common when talking about an action that happened earlier in the morning.

I went for a walk this morning.

She called me this morning.

We had breakfast together this morning.

Present Perfect

Present perfect can also be used with “this morning,” particularly when the morning is still considered part of the current time period.

I have already spoken to him this morning.

She has sent three emails this morning.

The choice between simple past and present perfect can depend on the time of day, the speaker’s perspective, and whether the relevant time period is viewed as finished.

“This Morning” When It Is Still Morning

Suppose it is 9:00 a.m.

You can naturally say:

I have already had two cups of coffee this morning.

You can also say:

I went to the bank this morning.

Both are possible, depending on what you want to communicate.

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“This Morning” After Morning Has Passed

Suppose it is 8:00 p.m.

You can still say:

I went to the bank this morning.

Here, “this morning” refers to the morning earlier on the same day.

You could also say:

I spoke to Sarah this morning.

This is completely natural.

“This Morning” vs. “In the Morning”

These expressions are related but have different meanings.

This Morning

“This morning” refers specifically to today’s morning.

I went jogging this morning.

This means I went jogging during the morning of today.

In the Morning

“In the morning” can refer to mornings generally or to a particular morning depending on context.

I usually drink coffee in the morning.

This means morning in general.

You can also say:

I’ll call you in the morning.

Here, the context determines which morning is meant.

Compare:

I exercise in the morning.

= This is my general habit.

I exercised this morning.

= I exercised during today’s morning.

This Morning vs. In This Morning

Another common mistake is adding “in” before “this morning.”

Correct:

I saw him this morning.

Incorrect:

I saw him in this morning.

We normally do not use “in” before “this morning.”

However, “in the morning” is correct:

I exercise in the morning.

The difference is:

• ✅ this morning
• ✅ in the morning
• ❌ in this morning

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This Morning vs. On This Morning

Another common question is whether to use “on” before “this morning.”

Normally, you simply say:

I saw her this morning.

Not:

❌ I saw her on this morning.

However, “on” can appear in special, formal, or context-specific constructions, particularly when “morning” is modified by a specific date or event:

On the morning of July 4, the ceremony began.

But for ordinary conversation, use:

this morning

Common Mistakes With “Today Morning”

Here are some frequent mistakes English learners make.

Mistake 1: Using “Today Morning”

❌ I went shopping today morning.

✅ I went shopping this morning.

Mistake 2: Using “In This Morning”

❌ I met him in this morning.

✅ I met him this morning.

Mistake 3: Using “On This Morning”

❌ I called her on this morning.

✅ I called her this morning.

Mistake 4: Using “This Today’s Morning”

❌ I went there this today’s morning.

✅ I went there this morning.

Is “Today Morning” Ever Used?

Yes, you may encounter “today morning” in English spoken or written by people from certain regional varieties of English.

For example, some speakers may say:

I met him today morning.

The intended meaning is understandable, but this construction is not the usual choice in mainstream American or British English.

If you are writing:

• academic English
• professional emails
• essays
• articles
• formal documents
• international English intended for broad audiences

“This morning” is the safer and more widely accepted choice.

American English vs. British English

Both American and British English commonly use “this morning.”

American English

I called my mom this morning.

British English

I called my mum this morning.

The vocabulary may differ in other ways, but “this morning” is standard in both varieties.

This Morning in Questions

When asking about something that happened during today’s morning, use “this morning.”

Examples:

• Did you sleep well this morning?
• Did you see James this morning?
• What did you do this morning?
• Did you receive my message this morning?
• Were you at work this morning?
• Did it rain this morning?

Avoid:

❌ What did you do today morning?

Use:

✅ What did you do this morning?

This Morning in Negative Sentences

“This morning” works naturally in negative sentences too.

Examples:

• I didn’t see him this morning.
• She didn’t call me this morning.
• We didn’t have breakfast this morning.
• He wasn’t at school this morning.
• They didn’t go to work this morning.

This Morning in Future Contexts

Depending on the time of day and context, “this morning” can also refer to a morning that belongs to today.

For example, early in the morning, someone might say:

I’ll finish the report this morning.

This means the action is expected to happen before the morning ends.

However, if the morning has already passed, you would normally use a future expression such as:

I’ll finish it tomorrow morning.

Today Morning vs. Tomorrow Morning

Notice the difference between today and tomorrow.

We say:

• ✅ this morning
• ✅ tomorrow morning
• ✅ yesterday morning
• ❌ today morning in standard English

Examples:

I went running this morning.

I’ll go running tomorrow morning.

I went running yesterday morning.

English uses this, tomorrow, and yesterday naturally with “morning.”

Useful Expressions With “This Morning”

Here are some natural expressions you can use:

Earlier This Morning

I saw him earlier this morning.

First Thing This Morning

She called me first thing this morning.

This means very early in the morning or at the beginning of the day’s activities.

Early This Morning

We left early this morning.

Late This Morning

I’ll meet you late this morning.

All Morning

I’ve been working all morning.

Since This Morning

I’ve been waiting since this morning.

Examples for Everyday English

Here are more natural sentences using “this morning.”

1. I woke up early this morning.
2. I had coffee this morning.
3. She called me this morning.
4. We went shopping this morning.
5. He arrived at work this morning.
6. Did you check your email this morning?
7. I haven’t eaten anything this morning.
8. It was cold this morning.
9. She sent the report this morning.
10. We discussed the problem this morning.
11. I saw your message this morning.
12. He left home this morning.
13. They had a meeting this morning.
14. I finished my homework this morning.
15. She wasn’t feeling well this morning.

Quick Grammar Rule

Remember this simple pattern:

For today’s morning:

this morning ✅

For today’s entire day:

today ✅

For tomorrow morning:

tomorrow morning ✅

For yesterday’s morning:

yesterday morning ✅

Avoid in standard English:

today morning ❌

Easy Memory Trick

Think of the pattern:

Today → this morning

Tomorrow → tomorrow morning

Yesterday → yesterday morning

So instead of saying:

❌ today morning

say:

✅ this morning

A simple sentence to remember is:

I did it this morning.

Today Morning vs This Morning: Final Answer

“This morning” is the standard and natural expression in English.

Use “this morning” when you mean the morning of today:

✅ I went to the gym this morning.

Use “today” when you are referring to the day generally:

✅ I went to the gym today.

Avoid “today morning” in standard English, especially in formal, academic, and professional writing. Although the expression occurs in some regional varieties of English, “this morning” is the broadly accepted choice.

At a Glance

• ✅ This morning — standard and natural
• ✅ Today — correct when referring to the whole day
• ✅ Tomorrow morning — correct
• ✅ Yesterday morning — correct
• ❌ Today morning — generally not standard English
• ❌ In this morning — incorrect in ordinary usage
• ❌ On this morning — normally unnecessary

The safest rule is simple: Say “this morning,” not “today morning.”

Practice Exercise

Choose the correct expression in each sentence.

1. I called him ______.
   • A. today morning
   • B. this morning
2. She went to school ______.
   • A. this morning
   • B. today morning
3. We have a meeting ______.
   • A. today
   • B. today morning
4. Did you see her ______?
   • A. this morning
   • B. today morning
5. I went for a walk ______.
   • A. this morning
   • B. today morning

Answers

1. B — this morning
2. A — this morning
3. A — today
4. A — this morning
5. A — this morning

People Also Ask

Conclusion

The correct choice for standard English is “this morning.”

When you mean the morning of today, say:

I saw him this morning.

When you mean the entire current day, say:

I saw him today.

Although “today morning” may be heard in some regional varieties of English, “this morning” is the natural choice for standard American and British English.

Remember: Today’s morning = “this morning.”