Every, each, all: Basic usage

Think of these words as camera lenses. All is your wide-angle lens. It captures the entire scene at once. It looks at the total sum. Every is a regular lens. it looks at the group but sees them as a unit. Each is your macro lens. It zooms in on every single individual. It treats them as separate pieces. Native speakers choose these based on focus. Do you want to emphasize the total? Use all. Do you want to talk about a routine? Use every. Do you want to highlight individual differences? Use each. It is like sorting laundry. You look at all the clothes. You check every shirt. You look into each pocket. See? You already do this in real life. It is just about picking the right English word.

1. 1For every, pair it with a singular countable noun. Example: every + day.
2. 2For each, also use a singular countable noun. Example: each + person.
3. 3For all, use a plural noun or an uncountable noun. Example: all + students or all + water.
4. 4If you use each of, the noun becomes plural. Example: each of the books.
5. 5Every cannot be used with of directly. You must say every one of.
6. 6All often needs the or a possessive word like my. Example: all my friends.

Use every when talking about frequency. Think about your habits. You drink coffee every morning. You go to the gym every week. It suggests a regular rhythm. Use each when the individual matters. Imagine a job interview. Each candidate gets ten minutes. This means Candidate A gets ten, and Candidate B gets ten. They are separate. Use all when talking about a complete amount. At a restaurant, you might pay for all the food. You are not thinking about the fries vs. the burger. You just want the total bill. Use all for big generalizations too. All dogs love bones. It is a broad statement.

Do not use every with plural nouns. It is a common trap. Never say every days. It sounds like a glitch in the matrix. Avoid using each for large, indefinite groups. You wouldn't say each star in the sky normally. Every star feels more natural there. Don't use all by itself to mean everyone. If you say "All are happy," it sounds a bit like an old poem. In modern English, say "Everyone is happy." Also, watch out for all with singular countable nouns. You cannot say all car. You must say the whole car or all the cars.

• Saying every students. Remember, every loves singular nouns. Use every student instead.
• Saying each of student. If you use of, you need a plural. Use each of the students.
• Confusing all day and every day. All day means from sunrise to sunset. Every day means Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
• Putting every at the end of a sentence. You can say "I exercise every day," but not "I exercise every."
• Forgetting the after all. Say all the people, not just all people (unless it's a general fact).

Every and each are like twins. They look similar but have different personalities. Every is more about the group. Each is more about the individual. If I say "Every student passed," I am happy for the class. If I say "Each student passed," I am thinking about every single grade. All is different because it uses plural verbs. "Every student is here" vs. "All students are here." It is a small change that makes a big difference. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Every/Each is the green light for singular. All is the green light for plural.