Each - Every - Either - Neither - All - No - None

Intervenant
Laurence Petoud
Executive Assistant
Formatrice en Entreprise
ECDL Expert
laurence.petoud@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/CambridgeExamsPreparatio
n
http://fce-cae.blog4ever.com/
This support has been developed as part of my
revisions for exams First Certificate in English.
EACH
EACH
SINGULAR
Each is a determiner. We use it before a singular noun.

I enjoy each moment.
(NOT: each moments.)
A following verb is also singular.
Each new day is different. (NOT: are different)
EACH OF
We use each of before a plural pronoun, or before a determiner (for example the, my,
these) with a plural noun.
Each of us sees the world differently.
I write to each of my children once a week.
A following verb is normally singular.
Each of them has problems.
PRONOUNS
When a pronoun or possessive is used later in a clause to refer back to each (of) +
noun/pronoun, the later word can be singular (more formal) or plural (less formal).
Each girl more what she liked best. (more formal)
Each student wore what they liked best. (less formal)
Each of them explained it in his/her/their own way.
POSITION WITH OBJECT
Each can follow an object (direct or indirect), but does not normally come at the end of a
clause.
She kissed them each on the forehead. (Bur NOT She kissed them each.)
I want them each to make their own decision.
I sent the secretaries each a Christmas card.
However, each can come at the end of a clause in expressions referring to amounts and
quantities.
They cost 3.50 each.
I bought the girls two ice-creams each.
WITHOUT A NOUN
We can drop a noun after each, if the meaning is clear. However, each one or each of
them is more common in an informal style.
I've got ve brothers, and each (one/of them) is different.
WITH THE VERB
When each refers to the subject, it can also go with a verb in mid-position, like some
adverbs. In this case plural nouns, pronouns and verbs are used.
They have each been told.
L. Petoudhttps://www.facebook.com/CambridgeExamsPreparation
http://fce-cae.blog4ever.com
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We can each apply for our own membership card.

You are each right in a different way.
The plans each have certain advantages and disadvantages.
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EACH AND EVERY: THE DIFFERENCE
EACH
WITH TWO OR MORE; EVERY WITH THREE OR MORE
Each and every are both normally used with singular nouns. Each can be used to talk
about two or more people or things; every is normally used to talk about three or more.
The business makes less money each/every year. (NOT each/ every years.)
She had a child holding on to each hand. (NOT every hand.)
MEANING
Each and every can often be used without much difference of meaning.
You look more beautiful each/every time I see you.
But we prefer each when we are thinking of people or things separately, one at a time.
And every is more common when we are thinking of people or things together, in a
group. (Every is closer to all.) So we are more likely to say:
Each person in turn went to see the doctor.
But
Every patient came from the same small village.
STRUCTURES
We do not use each with words and expressions like almost, practically, nearly or without
exception, which stress the idea of a whole group.
Shes lost nearly every friend she had. (NOT nearly each friend.)
Each can be used in some structures where every is impossible.
They each said what they thought. (BUT NOT They every)
Each of them spoke for ve minutes. (BUT NOT Every of them)
EACH OTHER AND ONE ANOTHER
NO DIFFERENCE
Each other and one another mean the same.

Ann and I write to each other / one another every week.
Each other is more common than one another, especially in an informal style.
NOT USED AS SUBJECT
Each other and one another are not normally used as subjects (though this occasionally
happens in subordinate clauses in very informal speech).
They each listened carefully to what the other said. (NOT USUALLY They listened
carefully to what each other said.)
EACH OTHER:
/ ONE ANOTHERS
Both expressions have possessive forms.

They'll sit for hours looking into each other's / one anothers eyes.
-SELVES AND EACH OTHER/ ONE ANOTHER

Note the difference between -selves and each other / one another. Compare:
John and Mary are strange: they talk to themselves a lot. (John talks to John;
Mary talks to Mary.)
Susan and Peter talk to each other on the phone every day. (Susan talks to
Peter; Peter talks to Susan.)
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WORDS USED WITHOUT EACH OTHER
/ ONE ANOTHER
We do not normally use each other / one another after words like meet or marry, where
the verb itself makes the meaning clear.
They met in 1992 and married in 1994.
EVERY (ONE)
EVERY
SINGULAR
Every is a determiner. We normally use it before a singular noun. If the noun is a subject,
its verb is also singular.
every + singular noun (+ singular verb)
I see her every day. (NOT every days)
Every room is being used. (NOT Every room are)
EVERY ONE OF
We use every one of before a pronoun or a determiner (for example the, my, the). The
pronoun or noun is plural, but a following verb is singular.
every one of us/you/them (+ singular verb)
every one of + determiner + plural noun (+ singular verb)
His books are wonderful. I've read every one of them.
Every one of the children was crying.
EVERY ONE WITHOUT A NOUN
We can drop a noun and use every one alone, if the meaning is clear.
His books are great. Every ones worth reading.
NEGATIVE STRUCTURES
To negate every, we normally use not every.

Not every kind of bird can y. (More natural than Every kind of bird cannot y.)
PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVES
When a pronoun or possessive is used later in a clause to refer back to every (one), the
later word can usually be either singular (more formal) or plural (less formal).
Every person made his/her own travel arrangements.
Every person made their own travel arrangements.
I told every single student what I thought of him/her/them.
But if we are talking about something that concerns every member of a group at the
same time, a plural word is necessary.
When every passengers ticket had been checked, the door opened and they all
got on. (NOT and he/she all got on.)
EVERY
PLURAL NOUN
Every is used before a plural noun in expressions that refer to intervals.

I see her every few days.
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Theres a meeting every six weeks.

Size had to stop and rest every two or three steps.
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EVERYBODY ETC.
Everybody, everyone, everything and everywhere are used with singular verbs, like
every.
Everybody has gone home. (NOT Everybody have...)
Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening.
I found that everywhere was booked up.
When possessives and pronouns refer back to everybody / one, they can usually be
either singular (more formal) or plural (less formal). Sometimes only a plural word makes
sense. Compare:
Has everybody got his or her ticket? (more formal)
Has everybody got their tickets? (less formal)
When everybody had nished eating, the waiters took away their plates. (NOT
his or her plate)
Note that everyone (= 'everybody) does not mean the same as every one (which can
refer to things as well as people - see paragraph 2 above).
EVERYDAY
Everyday is an adjective meaning ordinary, usual, routine. It is not the same as
the adverbial expression every day.
Compare:
In everyday life, you dont often nd an elephant in a supermarket.
You don't see elephants every day.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS
Note the following common expressions with every.

Every single
She visits her mother every single day.
Every other
We meet every other Tuesday. (= every second Tuesday.)
Every so often; every now and then
We go out for a drink together every so often / every now and then.
ALL AND EVERY
All and every can both be used to talk about people or things in general, or about all the
members of a group. There is little difference of meaning; every often suggests without
exception. The two words are used in different structures.
EVERY WITH SINGULAR NOUNS; ALL WITH PLURALS
Every is used with a singular noun. To give the same meaning, all is used with a plural
noun.
Compare:
Every child needs love. (NOT All child needs love.)
All children need love.
Every light was out.
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All (of) the lights were out.
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EVERY NOT USED WITH DETERMINERS
We can use all (of), but not normally every, with certain determiners (articles,
possessives or demonstratives).
Compare:
All (of) the plates were broken.
Every plate was broken. (NOT Every the plate / The every plate...)
I've written to all (of) my friends.
Ive written to every friend I have. (NOT every my friend / my every friend )
ALL WITH UNCOUNTABLES
We can use all, but not every, with uncountable nouns.

I like all music. (NOT .every music)
ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY ETC
Note the difference between all day/week etc. and every day/week etc.
She was here all day. (= from morning to night)
She was here every day. (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, . . .)
Either: determiner
EITHER
SINGULAR
We use either with a singular noun to mean one or the other of two.
Come on Tuesday or Thursday. Either day is OK. (NOT Either days.)
She didnt get on with either parent. (NOT either parents )
EITHER OF
We use either of before a determiner (for example the, my, these) or a pronoun. A
following noun is plural.
You can use either of the bathrooms.
I dont like either of my maths teachers.
I don't like either of them.
A verb after either of is more often singular, but it can sometimes be plural in an informal
style.
Either of the children is perfectly capable of looking after the baby.
She just doesnt care what either of her parents say(s).
WITHOUT A NOUN
We can use either alone if the meaning is clear.

Would you like tea or coffee? ~I dont mind. Either.
PRONOUNS
When a pronoun is used later in a clause to refer back to either + noun / pronoun, the
later pronoun can be singular (more formal) or plural (more informal).
If either of the boys phones, tell him/them Ill be in this evening.

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EITHER SIDE/END
In these expressions, either sometimes means each.

There are roses on either side of the door.
EITHER
...
OR
We use either or to talk about a choice between two possibilities (and sometimes more
than two).
I dont speak either French or German.
You can either come with me now or walk home.
If you want ice-cream theres either raspberry, lemon or vanilla.
We often balance this structure, so that the same kind of words or expressions follow
either and or.
You can have either tea or coffee. (nouns)
Hes either in London or in New York. (Prepositional expressions)
Either you'll leave this house or Ill call the police. (Clauses)
However, unbalanced sentences with either or are common. Some people prefer to
avoid them.
You can either have tea or coffee.
He's either in London or New York.
Youll either leave this house or Ill call the police.
Neither, nor and noteither
NEITHER AND NOR
We can use neither and nor as adverbs to mean also not. Neither and nor come at the
beginning of a clause, and are followed by inverted word order: auxiliary verb + subject.
I cant swim. ~Neither/nor can I. (NOT I also cant.)
Ruth didn't turn up, and neither nor did Kate. (NOT and Kate didnt too.)
In American English, nor is not normally used after and.
NOT EITHER
We can also use not either with the same meaning and normal word order.
I cant swim. ~I cant either.
Ruth didn't turn up, and Kate didnt either.
In very informal speech, me neither (and occasionally me either, especially in AmE 1) can
be used instead of I nt either.
I can't swim. ~Me neither.
ONE NEGATIVE
Only one negative word (not or neither) is necessary to give a negative meaning.
1 American English
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Neither did Kate on Kate didnt either. (NOT Neither didnt Kate OR Kate didnt
neither)
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All
THREE OR MORE ITEMS
All refers to three or more items. Compare:

I'll take all three shirts, please.
I'll take both shirts. (NOT all two shirts.)
ALL
(OF)
WITH NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
All modies nouns or pronouns.

All (of) the people were singing.
Give my love to them all.
I haven't read all of it.
WITH THE SUBJECT OR THE VERB
When all modies the subject, it can go either with the subject or with the verb.
All the people were singing. The people were all singing.
ALL WITHOUT A NOUN
All can sometimes be used without a noun to mean everything but only in certain
structures (see below).
All that matters is to be happy.
Thats all.
ALL WITH ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS ETC.
All can be used to emphasise some adjectives, prepositions and adverbs.

You're all wet.
She walked all round the town.
I was all alone.
Tell me all about your holiday.
Its all because of you.
I looked all round, but I couldn't see anything.
All, both and half follow similar grammar rules.
ALL (OF) WITH NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
ALL AND ALL OF
All (of) can modify nouns and pronouns.

Before a noun with a determiner (for example the, my, this), all and all of are both
possible. All is more common than all of
She's eaten all (of) the cake.
All (of) my friends like riding.
Before a noun with no determiner, we do not normally use of.
All children can be difcult. (NOT all of children)
ALL OF+ PERSONAL PRONOUN
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With personal pronouns, we use all of+ us/you/them.

All of us/you/them can be a subject or object.
All of us can come tomorrow. (NOT All we )
She's invited all of you.
Mary sent all of them her love.
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PRONOUN
ALL
We can put all after pronouns used as objects.

Shes invited you all.
Mary sent her love to them all.
I've made us all something to eat.
This does not happen with complement pronouns (after be) or in short answers.
I think thats all of them. (NOT I think thats them all.)
Who did she invite? ~ All of us. (NOT Us all.)
All can follow a subject pronoun (e.g. They all went home), but in this case it belongs
grammatically with the verb and may be separated from the pronoun (e.g. They have all
gone home).
TYPES OF NOUN
All is used mostly before uncountable and plural nouns.
all the water
all my friends
However, all can be used before some singular countable nouns referring to things that
can naturally be divided into parts.
all that week
all my family
all the way
We can also use all (of) before proper nouns (e.g. the names of places or writers).
All (of) London knew about her affairs.
Ive read all (of) Shakespeare.
With other singular countable nouns, it is more natural to use whole (eg. The whole
story).
LEAVING OUT THE
After all, we sometimes leave out the before numbers.
all (the) three brothers
And we usually leave out the in all day, all night, all week, all year, all winter and all
summer.
She stayed here all day. (NOT all the day).
NOT ALL
It is not very common to use all + noun as the subject of a negative verb (e.g. All
Americans dont like hamburgers). We more often use not all + noun + afrmative
verb.
Not all Americans like hamburgers.
Note the difference between not all and no.
Compare:
Not all birds can y.
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No birds can play chess.
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ALL: WITH THE VERB
When all refers to the subject of a clause, it can go with the verb, in mid- position.
We can all swim.
Those apples were all bad.
The guests have all arrived.
My family all work in education.
Note that these meanings can also be expressed by using all (of) with the subject.
All of us can swim.
All (of) the guests have arrived.
ALL, EVERYBODY/EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING
ALL AND EVERYBODY/EVERYONE
We do not normally use all without a noun to mean everybody. Compare:

All the people stood up.
Everybody/Everyone stood up. (NOT All stood up.)
ALL AND EVERYTHING
All can mean everything, but usually only in the structure all + relative clause (all
that ...).
Compare:
- All (that) I have is yours. (NOT All what I have )
Everything is yours. (NOT All is yours )
- She lost all (that) she owned.
She lost everything. (NOT She lost all.)
This structure often has a rather negative meaning, expressing ideas like nothing more
or the only thing(s).
This is all Ive got.
All I want is a place to sit down.
All that happened was that he went to sleep.
Note also Thats all (= lts nished; Theres no more).
OLDER ENGLISH
In older English, all could be used alone to mean everybody or everything (e.g. Tell
me all; All is lost; All are dead). This only happens regularly in modern English in
dramatic contexts like newspaper headlines (e.g. SPY TELLS ALL).
ALL AND EVERY
All and every can both be used to talk about people or things in general, or about all the
members of a group. There is little difference of meaning; every often suggests without
exception. The two words are used in different structures.
EVERY WITH SINGULAR NOUNS; ALL WITH PLURALS
Every is used with a singular noun. To give the same meaning, all is used with a plural
noun.
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Compare:
- Every child needs love. (NOT All child needs love.)
All children need love.
- Every light was out.
All (of) the lights were out.
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ALL AND WHOLE
WORD ORDER
All (of) and whole can both be used with singular nouns to mean complete, every part
of. The word order is different.
All (of) + determiner + noun
Determiner + whole + noun
- Julie spent all (of) the summer at home.
Julie spent the whole summer at home.
- all (of) my life
my whole life
INDEFINITE REFERENCE
All is not generally used before indenite articles.

She's eaten a whole loaf (NOT all a loaf.)
UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS
With most uncountable nouns we prefer all (of).

I've drunk all (of) the milk. (NOT the whole milk.)
THE WHOLE OF
Instead of whole we can generally use the whole of

Julie spent the whole of the summer at home.
the whole of my life
Before proper nouns (names) and pronouns we always use the whole of, not whole. All
(of) is also possible.
The whole of / All of Venice was under water. (Not Whole Venice)
I've just read the whole of / all of War and Peace.
I've read the whole of/ all of it.
PLURAL NOUNS
With plural nouns, all and whole have different meanings. All is like every; whole means
complete, entire.
Compare:
All Indian tribes suffered from white settlement in America. (= Every Indian
tribe suffered )
Whole Indian tribes were killed off (= Complete tribes were killed off; nobody
was left alive in these tribes.)
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NO, NONE AND NOT A
/ANY
NO: EMPHATIC
No can be used instead of not a or not any when we want to emphasise a negative idea.
Would you believe it? Theres no wardrobe in the bedroom.
(More emphatic than There isn't a wardrobe . . .)
Sorry I can't stop. I've got no time.
(More emphatic than I havent got any time.)
There were no letters for you this morning, I 'm afraid.
(More emphatic than There weren't any letters )
After no, countable nouns are usually plural unless the sense makes a singular noun
necessary.
Compare:
He's got no children. (More natural than Hes got no child.)
Hes got no wife. (More normal than He's got no wives.)
NONE OF
Before a determiner (e.g. the, my, this) or a pronoun, we use none of

She's done none of the work. (NOT no of the work.)
We understood none of his arguments.
Ive been to none of those places.
None of us speaks French.
When we use none of with a plural noun or pronoun, the Verb can be singular (a little
more formal) or plural (a little more informal).
None of my friends is interested. (more formal)
None of my friends are interested. (more informal)
We can use none alone if the meaning is clear.
How many of the books have you read? ~None.
NOT A/ANY
We prefer not a/any in objects and complements when the sense is not emphatic.
Compare:
Hes no fool. (= Hes not a fool at all. - emphatic negative)
A whale is not a sh. (NOT A whale is no fish) - The sense is not emphatic.)
SUBJECTS
Not any cannot normally be used with subjects. No and none of are used instead.
No brand of cigarette is completely harmless. [NOT Not any brand )
No tourists ever came to our village. (NOT Not any tourists )
None of my friends lives near me. (Not Not any of my friends )
NOT USED TO TALK ABOUT TWO
We use neither, not no or none, to talk about two people or things.
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Neither of my parents could be there. (NOT None of my parents .)
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NOBODY ETC
Nobody, nothing, no one and nowhere are used in similar ways to no.
I saw nobody. (More emphatic than I didn't see anybody.)
Nobody spoke. (NOT Not anybody spoke.)
NO DOUBT
No doubt means probably or l suppose, not certainly.

No doubt itll rain soon.
You're tired, no doubt. Ill make you a cup of tea.
To say that something is certain, we can use there is no doubt that (formal), without any
doubt (formal), certainly, denitely.
There is no doubt that the world is getting warmer. (NOT No doubt the world is
getting warmer.)
Cycling is certainly healthier than driving. (NOT No doubt cycling is healthier
than driving.)
Doubtless is similar to no doubt (but more formal); undoubtedly is similar to there is no
doubt that.
NO MATTER
CONJUNCTION
No matter can be used with who, whose, what, which, where, when and how. These
expressions are conjunctions, used to join clauses together. The meaning is similar to it
is not important who/what etc.
I'll love you no matter what you do.
No matter where you go, I'll follow you.
We use a present tense with a future meaning after no matter.
No matter where you go, youll nd Coca-Cola.
You'll be welcome no matter when you come.
NO MATTER WHO ETC AND WHOEVER ETC
The conjunctions no matter who! what etc are used rather like whoever, whatever etc.
Compare:
- No matter what you say, I wont believe you.
Whatever you say, I wont believe you.
- Phone me when you arrive, no matter how late it is.
Phone me when you arrive, however late it is.
However, clauses with whoever / whatever / whichever can be used as subjects or
objects. Clauses with no matter who etc. cannot be used in this way.
Whatever you do is ne with me. (BUT NOT No matter what you do is fine with
me.)
You can have whichever you like. (BUT NOT You can have no matter which you
like.)
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NO MORE, NOT ANY MORE, NO LONGER, NOT ANY LONGER
We use no more with nouns to talk about quantity or degree to say how much.
There's no more bread.
We do not use no more in standard modern English as an adverb to express the idea of
actions and situations stopping. Instead, we use no longer (usually before the verb), not
any longer or not any more.
I no longer support the Conservative party. (NOT I no more support )
This cant go on any longer.
Im not helping you any more.
Anymore may be written as one word, especially in American English.
Annie doesn't live here anymore.
NO MATTER AND IT DOESN'T MATTER
Because no matter is a conjunction, it must be used with two clauses.

No matter when you come, youll be welcome. [BUT NOT No matter when you
come.)
To introduce just one clause, we can use It doesn't matter.
It doesnt matter when you come.
USE WITHOUT A VERB
However, no matter what can be used at the end of a clause, without a following verb.
Ill always love you, no matter what. (= no matter what happens.)
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Each - Every - Either - Neither - All - No - None

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Each - Every - Either - Neither - All - No - None

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Intervenant

Each is a determiner. We use it before a singular noun.

POSITION WITH OBJECT

WITH THE VERB

We can each apply for our own membership card.

EACH AND EVERY: THE DIFFERENCE

WITH TWO OR MORE; EVERY WITH THREE OR MORE

Every patient came from the same small village.

Each other and one another mean the same.

Both expressions have possessive forms.

-SELVES AND EACH OTHER/ ONE ANOTHER

WORDS USED WITHOUT EACH OTHER

EVERY ONE WITHOUT A NOUN

To negate every, we normally use not every.

PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVES

Every is used before a plural noun in expressions that refer to intervals.

Theres a meeting every six weeks.

Note the following common expressions with every.

ALL AND EVERY

All (of) the lights were out.

EVERY NOT USED WITH DETERMINERS

ALL WITH UNCOUNTABLES

We can use all, but not every, with uncountable nouns.

ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY ETC

We can use either alone if the meaning is clear.

If either of the boys phones, tell him/them Ill be in this evening.

In these expressions, either sometimes means each.

Neither, nor and noteither

NEITHER AND NOR

THREE OR MORE ITEMS

All refers to three or more items. Compare:

WITH NOUNS AND PRONOUNS

All modies nouns or pronouns.

WITH THE SUBJECT OR THE VERB

ALL WITHOUT A NOUN

ALL WITH ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS ETC.

All can be used to emphasise some adjectives, prepositions and adverbs.

All (of) can modify nouns and pronouns.

ALL OF+ PERSONAL PRONOUN

With personal pronouns, we use all of+ us/you/them.

We can put all after pronouns used as objects.

No birds can play chess.

ALL: WITH THE VERB

ALL AND EVERYBODY/EVERYONE

We do not normally use all without a noun to mean everybody. Compare:

ALL AND EVERYTHING

ALL AND WHOLE

All is not generally used before indenite articles.

With most uncountable nouns we prefer all (of).

Instead of whole we can generally use the whole of

NO, NONE AND NOT A

Before a determiner (e.g. the, my, this) or a pronoun, we use none of

NOT USED TO TALK ABOUT TWO

We use neither, not no or none, to talk about two people or things.

Neither of my parents could be there. (NOT None of my parents .)

No doubt means probably or l suppose, not certainly.

NO MATTER WHO ETC AND WHOEVER ETC

NO MORE, NOT ANY MORE, NO LONGER, NOT ANY LONGER

NO MATTER AND IT DOESN'T MATTER

Because no matter is a conjunction, it must be used with two clauses.

USE WITHOUT A VERB

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