Each and every

Each and every image

Each and every are similar in meaning. It is often possible to use both each or every.

• Each time (or every time) I see you, you look different.
• There's a telephone in each room (or every room) of the house.

But each and every are not exactly the same. Read below to see:

We use each when we think of things separately, one by one.

• Study each sentence carefully. (= study the sentences one by one)

Each is more usual for a small number:

• There were four books on the table. Each book was a different colour.

• (in a card game) At the beginning of the game, each player has three cards.

 We use every when we think of things as a group. The meaning is similar to all.

• Every sentence must have a subject. (= all sentences in general)

Every is more usual for a large number:

• Carol loves reading. She has read every book in the library. (= all the books)

• I would like to visit every country in the world. (= all the countries)

Important: each (but not every) can be used for two things:

• In a football match, each team has 11 players. (not "every team")

We use every (not each) to say how often something happens:

• "How often do you go shopping?" " Every day" (not "each day")
• There's a bus every ten minutes. (not "each ten minutes")

Compare the structures we use with each and every:

You can use each with a noun:
  each book   each student

You can use each alone (without a noun):
• None of the rooms was the same. Each was different. (= each room)

Or you can use each one:
• Each one was different.

You can say each of (the.../these... etc.):
• Read each of these sentences carefully.

• Each of the books is a different color.

Also each of us/you/them:
• Each of them is a different color.

 You can use every with a noun:
every book   every student

You can say every one (but not every alone):

• "hHave you read all these books?" "Yes, every one."

You can say every one of... (but not "every of...")

• I've read every one of those books. (not " every of those books")

• I've read every one of them.

You can also use each in the middle or at the end of a sentence. For example:

• The students were each given a book. (= Each student was given a book)

• These oranges cost 25 pence each.

Difference between: Everyone and every one

Everyone (one word) is only for people (= everybody).

Every one (two words) is for things or people, and is similar to each one:

• Everyone enjoyed the party. (= everybody...)
• He is invited to lots of parties and he goes to every one. (= to every party)

    Is it corect to use "each Sun, 05/22/2011 - 19:06 — Mi (not verified)

    Is it corect to use "each and every" in order to emphasise the idea? Such as: I'll supervise each and every detail of the presentation?

    Thankyou, Mi

    Some people do, but to me it Thu, 07/14/2011 - 12:49 — arty (not verified)

    Some people do, but to me it comes across as irritatingly hyperbolic.

    Thanks for your Wed, 11/10/2010 - 22:44 — Brian Mahoney (not verified)

    Thanks for your straightforward untangling of the each/every grammatical conundrum. I happened upon your site by chance, but serendipitously so.

    Thanks ! Sun, 03/21/2010 - 12:08 — sagittarius_leo (not verified)

    Thanks !