Practice
Each or every: choosing the quantifier
A supervisor gives a visitor badge to each guest at the desk. Later, she says every guest must show a badge at the entrance. The group is the same, but the first sentence focuses on one person at a time.
Choose each or every by checking whether you mean individual members or all members as a group.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
each and every /iːtʃ ən ˈevri/
The short answer
Use each for separate members and every for all members considered together. Say each employee received a key when the keys were given one by one. Say every employee needs a key when the rule applies to the whole group.
Each student checked a different answer before the discussion.
Why it works: The sentence draws attention to the students one at a time.
5 more examples
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Each runner received a number at the registration table.
The numbers are handed out separately to individual runners.
Not this:
Every runnerneeds to wear a number during the race. What changes: The rule applies to all runners as one group. -
The editor read each paragraph twice before sharing the report.
The editor considers the paragraphs one by one.
Not this:
Every paragraphin the report has a clear topic sentence. What changes: The statement describes a shared feature of the complete report. -
Each apartment has its own mailbox.
Every apartment is connected to a separate mailbox.
Not this:
Every apartmentin this building has central heating. What changes: Central heating is a general feature of all the apartments. -
We thanked each of the volunteers after the event.
The thanks are directed to individual people in the group.
Not this:
Every one of the volunteersarrived before noon. What changes: The sentence states that the whole group arrived on time. -
Each of the two doors has a different code.
Each can be used when there are only two members.
Not this:
Every shelfin the library has a label. What changes: Every normally refers to a group of three or more items.
Read the full guide
Start with the meaning you need. Are you noticing individual people or things, perhaps because they have separate actions or separate items? Choose each. Are you stating a rule, habit, or fact about the whole group? Every is often more natural. Then check the noun: after each and every, use a singular countable noun.
Choose the focus: separate members or the whole group
Use each when the members have separate actions, objects, or details. Use every when you are making one general statement about all of them. The same group can appear with either word when the meaning changes slightly.
Each passenger showed a ticket to the conductor.
The conductor checks passengers separately, so each fits well.
Choose the form for a general rule: ___ passenger must keep a ticket.
Use every: Every passenger must keep a ticket.
Use a singular countable noun after both words
Each and every are followed by a singular countable noun. Write each task or every task, not each tasks or every tasks. The verb is usually singular too because the noun is singular.
Every visitor is asked to sign the register.
Visitor is singular, so the verb is is.
Complete the sentence: Each suitcase ___ a label.
Use has: Each suitcase has a label.
Remember the group-size difference
Use each with two or more people or things. Every normally needs a group of at least three. When there are two choices, each is the safe form.
Each side of the card has a different message.
A card has two sides, so each is the natural choice.
Choose the form for two options: ___ option has a cost.
Use each: Each option has a cost.
Use of with a plural group
Use each of before a plural noun phrase with the, these, those, or a possessive word: each of the rooms, each of my friends. Use every one of for the same kind of group. Do not write every of the rooms.
Each of the folders contains a separate form.
The plural noun folders comes after of, while each stays singular.
Complete the phrase: ___ of these buttons opens a menu.
Use each: Each of these buttons opens a menu.
Choose naturally in common sentences
For repeated events, schedules, and rules, every often sounds natural: every morning, every week, every customer. Use each when you want the reader to notice separate cases: each morning's note, each customer's order.
The clinic calls every patient the day before an appointment.
This is a regular procedure that applies to the clinic's whole patient list.
Choose the form for separate items: The technician tested ___ cable.
Use each: The technician tested each cable.
Before you go
Remember this
Use each when separate members matter. Use every when you mean the complete group in a general way. Follow both words with a singular countable noun, and use each rather than every for a group of two.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Each or every: choosing the quantifier"
What is the main difference between each and every?
Each focuses on members separately, while every refers to all the members as one group. The difference is often small, but each is useful when separate actions or separate items matter. Every is common for rules, routines, and general statements.
Each runner received a number at the registration table.
Can I use each and every with two things?
Use each with two or more things. Every normally refers to a group of three or more. For two choices, people, or objects, each is the usual form because it lets you consider the two members separately.
Every runner needs to wear a number during the race.
Do each and every take singular nouns?
Yes. Put a singular countable noun after each and every: each answer, every answer. A singular verb usually follows too: Each answer is clear. Do not use every directly before an uncountable noun such as information.
The editor read each paragraph twice before sharing the report.
How do I use each of and every one of?
Use each of before a plural group with words such as the, these, or my: each of the files. Use every one of in a similar way: every one of the files. Do not use every of before a plural noun phrase.
Every paragraph in the report has a clear topic sentence.
Why does every sound better in a rule?
Every often sounds natural when a rule, routine, or shared condition applies to a complete group. Each is also possible in some rules, especially when you want to stress separate people or separate items. The intended focus decides the better choice.
Each apartment has its own mailbox.