how to spell: alright or all right?

Another spelling lesson from howtospell.co.uk
I'm alright, thanks.
I'm all right, thanks.
Basically 'alright/all right' means I'm OK/I'm fine/I'm alright

It also means 'good enough' "Is everything all right/alright?"
It means safe and well: "I hope the children are all right/alright."
"Do you feel all right/alright?"
"Can you get me some stamps?" "Yes, all right./Yes, alright."

Which do you use? Are they both correct? Is there one that is used in formal writing? Or is one of these incorrect?

They're both correct.

But some people insist that 'all right' is the correct version.

According to the Oxford Dictionary: "There is no logical reason for insisting that 'all right' should be written as two words rather than as alright, when other single-word forms such as altogether and already have long been accepted. Nevertheless, alright is still regarded as being unacceptable in formal writing."

Fowler's Modern English Usage says about 'alright' that there are various arguments in its favour especially to distinguish it when we need 'all' and 'right' has two separate words as in "He finished the crossword and got it all right."

So remember we can use 'all right' as two separate words when everything is 'all correct'.

Your answers are all right/all correct. Though we'd probably use 'all correct' in this situation.

So use 'all right' when you're writing formally for business, in job applications and academically.

And use 'alright' in informal wriiting with friends, colleagues etc.

There you go a quick look at 'all right' and 'alright'.

That's it for this lesson for more spelling lessons, information, exercises, games and spelling tests go to my website howtospell.co.uk - see you there, bye.