Each, every, and all all refer to a complete group, but they point at it from different angles. Each looks at the members one by one. Every treats the group as a whole without exceptions. All takes the group together as a single mass.
The three sentences describe almost the same situation, but the speaker's focus shifts each time — individual, collective-with-no-exceptions, and the whole group as a unit.
Each — one by one
Each picks out the members of a group and considers them separately. It works with two or more things and takes a singular verb.
The last example shows a case where only each works — you cannot say every hand, because there are only two.
Each also fits naturally after a plural subject:
Every — without exception
Every sees the group as a whole and signals that nothing inside it is left out. It needs three or more members and, like each, takes a singular verb.
Every is also the standard choice for frequency and intervals:
Each cannot express frequency in this way — there's a bus each twenty minutes is wrong.
Each day, every day, all day
These three phrases look similar but mean different things.
| PHRASE | MEANING |
|---|---|
| each day | the days considered one by one |
| every day | a habit, repeated daily |
| all day | the whole day as one stretch of time |
All — the whole group together
All treats the group as a single mass. It works with plural nouns, uncountable nouns, and takes a plural or uncountable verb accordingly.
Every and each take a singular verb because they zoom in on individual members; all takes a plural or uncountable verb because it keeps the whole group in view.
Unlike the other two, all works with uncountable nouns: all the water, all the information, all my time. You cannot say every water or each information.
Using "of"
When these words appear before a pronoun or before the / this / my / his + noun, the syntax changes.
Each of + plural noun or pronoun. The verb stays singular.
Every one of + plural noun or pronoun. Every of does not exist — you must insert one.
All of + plural or uncountable. Before us, you, them, him, her, the of is required. Before the, this, my, the of is optional and usually dropped.
Adverbs that only go with every
Adverbs like almost, nearly, and practically combine with every, not with each.
Almost each seat or nearly each house sounds wrong to native speakers — these adverbs need the collective sense that every carries.
Common mistakes
Singular vs plural verb
Every of / each for only two
Frequency with each instead of every
Adverbs with each
All with singular or uncountable agreement