Each and every are both correct standard English words, but they do not always communicate exactly the same emphasis or fit the same sentence structure.
Compare:
“Each student received a folder.”
“Every student received a folder.”
Both sentences can describe all students receiving folders. However, each draws more attention to the students separately, while every emphasizes complete coverage of the group without exceptions.
The difference becomes clearer here:
“Each answer was checked separately.”
“Every answer was correct.”
Their meanings overlap, especially with groups of three or more, but they are not fully interchangeable.
Quick Answer
Use each when thinking about people or things separately or one by one.
Use every when emphasizing that all relevant members are included without exception.
For exactly two members, each is normally the natural choice:
“Each hand held a card.”
For regular intervals, use every:
“The train comes every 30 minutes.”
Both normally take a singular noun when placed directly before it.
Why People Confuse Them
Learners often confuse each and every because both can describe complete coverage of a group.
Compare:
“Each guest received a gift.”
“Every guest received a gift.”
Both can mean that all guests received gifts.
Likewise:
“Each room has a window.”
“Every room has a window.”
The basic factual result may be the same. The difference is often one of perspective.
Each encourages us to think about members individually.
Every presents the statement as true across the entire relevant set.
However, the difference is not merely stylistic. The words also behave differently in structures such as:
“Each of them”
“Every one of them”
“They each have”
“Every three weeks”
Key Differences At A Glance
| Feature | Each | Every |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Members separately | Complete coverage |
| Normal minimum group size | Two or more | Usually three or more |
| Before singular count noun | Yes | Yes |
| Singular verb when subject determiner | Yes | Yes |
| “Of” construction | each of | every one of |
| Can stand alone | Yes | Usually no |
| After plural subject | Yes: “They each have…” | No: not “They every have…” |
| Meaning “apiece” | Yes | No |
| Regular intervals | Less natural | Very common |
| With almost/nearly/not | Usually restricted | Very common |
| Fully interchangeable | No | No |
Examples:
“Each person received a badge.”
“Every person received a badge.”
“Each of them agreed.”
“Every one of them agreed.”
“They each have a ticket.”
“We meet every three weeks.”
“Almost every student passed.”
Meaning and Usage Difference
Each: Members Considered Separately
Each distributes attention across members one by one.
“Each child chose a different book.”
This sentence encourages us to think about the children individually.
“Each package has a different tracking number.”
Again, the focus is on separate members.
Every: Complete Inclusion
Every emphasizes that no relevant member is excluded.
“Every child needs support.”
“Every package must be scanned.”
The focus is on universal coverage.
When Both Describe the Same Situation
Compare:
“Each employee received a badge.”
“Every employee received a badge.”
Both can mean that all employees received badges.
The difference is emphasis:
- each highlights individual distribution
- every highlights no exceptions
Exactly Two Members
With a group of exactly two, each is normally preferred.
“She wore a ring on each hand.”
“The road has houses on each side.”
Using every in these ordinary two-member contexts sounds unnatural.
Singular Count Nouns
Both commonly appear before singular count nouns:
“Each student has a locker.”
“Every student has a locker.”
The verb is singular because the grammatical subject is singular.
Each Of
Use:
“Each of the reports has a title.”
“Each of us has a ticket.”
After each of, use a plural noun phrase or pronoun, but the verb is normally singular when each is the grammatical subject.
Every One Of
Do not say:
“Every of the reports…”
Use:
“Every one of the reports has a title.”
Each After a Plural Subject
Each can appear after a plural subject:
“The reports each contain a chart.”
“We each have a ticket.”
Notice the plural verb:
“We each have…”
Not:
“We each has…”
Each Meaning “Apiece”
Each can also mean “for each one”:
“Tickets cost $12 each.”
“They received two copies each.”
Every for Frequency and Intervals
Use every naturally for repeated frequency:
“We meet every Friday.”
“A bus arrives every 15 minutes.”
“She calls every few days.”
Although every usually precedes a singular noun, interval expressions such as every three days are an important exception.
Tone, Context, and Formality
Both each and every are neutral and standard in American English.
Neither is inherently more formal.
However, each can sound more deliberate or individualized:
“Each applicant will receive individual feedback.”
The sentence emphasizes separate treatment.
Every can sound broader or more sweeping:
“Every applicant must submit identification.”
The rule applies without exception.
The phrase each and every adds rhetorical emphasis:
“I appreciate each and every one of you.”
This expression is grammatical, but it can sound wordy if strong emphasis is unnecessary.
There is no useful general American-versus-British distinction to learn here.
Which One Should You Use?
Use each when individual treatment matters:
“Each student chose a topic.”
Use each for exactly two:
“Each side of the coin has a different design.”
Use each of:
“Each of us has a ticket.”
Use each after a plural subject:
“We each have a ticket.”
Use each to mean “apiece”:
“The tickets cost $20 each.”
Use every when stressing no exceptions:
“Every customer must show a receipt.”
Use every for regular frequency:
“We meet every Friday.”
Use every after words such as almost, nearly, and often not:
“Almost every customer paid by card.”
“Not every answer was correct.”
Either may work when a group has three or more members and the same property applies to all:
“Each employee received a copy.”
“Every employee received a copy.”
The factual result may be the same, but the emphasis differs.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
Some structures allow only one of the two naturally.
Correct:
“Each of the students received a certificate.”
Incorrect:
“Every of the students received a certificate.”
Use:
“Every one of the students received a certificate.”
Correct:
“They each have a locker.”
Incorrect:
“They every have a locker.”
For exactly two:
Natural:
“She wore a bracelet on each wrist.”
Awkward in the ordinary context:
“She wore a bracelet on every wrist.”
For intervals:
Natural:
“The bus comes every 20 minutes.”
Unnatural in ordinary modern usage:
“The bus comes each 20 minutes.”
With almost:
Natural:
“Almost every student passed.”
Usually unnatural:
“Almost each student passed.”
With not:
Natural:
“Not every answer was correct.”
Less natural for the intended meaning “not all”:
“Not each answer was correct.”
Some unusual structures may be possible in specialized contexts, but these are the standard everyday patterns.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: “Every of my friends”
Incorrect:
“Every of my friends came.”
Correct:
“Every one of my friends came.”
Also correct:
“Each of my friends came.”
Mistake: Using a plural noun directly after “each”
Incorrect:
“Each students received a form.”
Correct:
“Each student received a form.”
Mistake: Using a plural noun directly after “every”
Incorrect:
“Every students submitted the assignment.”
Correct:
“Every student submitted the assignment.”
Mistake: Using a plural verb after singular “each + noun”
Incorrect:
“Each student have a locker.”
Correct:
“Each student has a locker.”
Mistake: Using a singular verb after a plural subject with “each”
Incorrect:
“They each has a locker.”
Correct:
“They each have a locker.”
Mistake: Saying “every of”
Incorrect:
“Every of the books has a label.”
Correct:
“Every one of the books has a label.”
Mistake: Confusing “everyone” and “every one”
Everyone means everybody:
“Everyone is ready.”
Every one means every individual member of a specified set:
“Every one of the boxes was checked.”
Mistake: Replacing “every” with “each” in intervals
Natural:
“We meet every two weeks.”
Not normally:
“We meet each two weeks.”
Everyday Examples
School
“Each student chose a topic.”
“Every student submitted the assignment.”
“Each of the students received feedback.”
“Almost every student passed.”
Workplace
“Each employee received an individual login.”
“Every employee must complete the training.”
“We each received a security code.”
“Every department follows the same policy.”
Shopping
“Each package has a different tracking number.”
“Every package must be scanned.”
“These notebooks cost $5 each.”
“Almost every item was discounted.”
Family
“She gave each child a snack.”
“Every child needs attention.”
“She wore a ring on each hand.”
“We call our grandparents every Sunday.”
Travel
“Each passenger received a boarding pass.”
“Every passenger must show identification.”
“The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes.”
“We each carried one suitcase.”
Technology
“Each device has a unique serial number.”
“Every device requires an update.”
“The users each received a password.”
“I back up my files every week.”
Healthcare and Appointments
“Each patient received individual instructions.”
“Every patient must check in at the front desk.”
“The clinic reviews records every six months.”
Events
“Each guest received a name tag.”
“Every guest signed the register.”
“Tickets cost $25 each.”
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
Each
Each is not normally a verb.
It functions in determiner-like, pronoun, and adverbial roles.
Incorrect invented form:
“eached”
That is not a standard ordinary verb use.
Every
Every is also not a verb.
It functions primarily as a determiner or quantifier before nouns.
Noun
Each
Each is not ordinarily a noun, but it can stand independently as a pronoun:
“Each was labeled.”
“Each received a number.”
Every
Every normally cannot stand independently in the same way.
Do not say:
“Every was labeled.”
Use:
“Every one was labeled.”
Keep these forms distinct:
- every
- every one
- everyone
Synonyms
Closest alternatives for each depend on context:
- each one
- apiece
- per, in some rate expressions
- every, where structures overlap
Example:
“Tickets cost $10 each.”
“Tickets cost $10 apiece.”
Closest alternatives for every include:
- each, in overlapping contexts
- all, after grammatical restructuring
- every single, for emphasis
Compare:
“Every student passed.”
“All students passed.”
The perspective and grammar differ, so these are not universal substitutes.
Example Sentences
Each
“Each student has a locker.”
“Each of the students has a locker.”
“The students each have a locker.”
“Tickets cost $10 each.”
“Each was checked separately.”
Every
“Every student has a locker.”
“Every one of the lockers has a number.”
“We meet every Tuesday.”
“The bus arrives every 20 minutes.”
“Almost every seat was occupied.”
Word History
Each is a very old English word. It developed through Middle English forms such as ech from Old English ǣlc.
Its use goes back to before the twelfth century.
Every also has a long history in English and developed from older elements historically connected with the ideas represented by ever and each.
Its modern grammar, however, is not identical to that of each.
Phrases Containing
Common expressions with each include:
- each and every
- each other
- each one
- to each their own
- with each passing day
- each way
Examples:
“They help each other.”
“With each passing day, the weather improved.”
“To each their own.”
Common expressions with every include:
- every now and then
- every so often
- every other
- every time
- every single
- every step of the way
Examples:
“We go there every now and then.”
“I call her every other day.”
“Every single seat was occupied.”
FAQ
What is the main difference between “each” and “every”?
Each emphasizes members separately, while every emphasizes complete coverage without exceptions.
“Each employee received individual feedback.”
“Every employee completed the survey.”
Can “each” and “every” be used interchangeably?
Sometimes. With groups of three or more, both may describe the same situation:
“Each student received a book.”
“Every student received a book.”
However, their emphasis and grammar are not always identical.
Do you use “each” or “every” for two things?
Usually use each for exactly two:
“She wore a bracelet on each wrist.”
Every wrist would sound unnatural in the normal two-wrist context.
Is it “each of” or “every of”?
Use each of:
“Each of the students passed.”
Do not use every of. Say:
“Every one of the students passed.”
Do “each” and “every” take singular verbs?
When they directly determine a singular subject, normally yes:
“Each student has a locker.”
“Every student has a locker.”
But with a plural subject followed by each, use the plural verb:
“They each have a locker.”
Should I say “each day” or “every day”?
Both can be correct.
Every day is especially natural for regular frequency:
“I exercise every day.”
Each day can give more attention to individual days:
“Each day brought a new challenge.”
Do not confuse every day with the adjective everyday, as in “everyday clothes.”
Conclusion
Both each and every are correct, but they emphasize groups differently.
Use each when focusing on members separately, especially with exactly two members, each of, post-subject placement, or the meaning “apiece.”
Use every when
