Determiner A2 — Elementary /ˈev.ri/

Every — Definition, Examples & Usage

Each individual one without exception — a small word with a surprisingly wide range of uses.

Quick Definition

Every is a determiner with three related meanings: (1) each individual member of a group without exception; (2) the greatest possible degree or amount; (3) something that recurs regularly at stated intervals. It always precedes a singular noun.

What Does Every Mean?

Every comes from Old English ǣfre ǣlc, literally "ever each" — a fusion of ever (always) and each (each one). The two words contracted through Middle English (everich) to produce the modern form. It has been part of English for over a thousand years and sits among the fifty most common words in the language.

In its core sense, every refers to all members of a group individually and without exception: "Every student in the class passed the test" means not a single student failed. This differs subtly from all, which stresses the group as a collective unit, and from each, which focuses attention on members one by one.

A second important use expresses the highest possible degree: "I have every reason to trust her" means there is no reason to doubt her; "We made every effort" means we could not have tried harder. Here, every functions like an intensifier.

The third sense — recurring intervals — is especially common in time expressions: "every morning", "every two weeks", "every five minutes". The pattern every + number + time noun is a productive structure that ESL learners should learn as a whole chunk.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & Usage note
She reads an English article every morning with her breakfast. A2 — habitual routine; every + time noun
Every shop in the town centre closes at six o'clock on Sundays. B1 — universal statement about a group; singular verb
The train to Edinburgh runs every thirty minutes throughout the day. B1 — interval expression; every + number + noun
The committee made every effort to resolve the dispute before the deadline. B2 — intensifying use; fixed collocation "every effort"
There is every indication that the policy will be reviewed in the next parliamentary session. C1 — formal/written English; emphatic use expressing near certainty

Common Collocations

CollocationMeaning / Example
every dayon each day — He goes for a walk every day.
every timeon each occasion — Every time I call, she is busy.
every otheralternating — She volunteers every other Saturday.
every now and thenoccasionally — We meet for coffee every now and then.
every singleemphatic; without any exception — He remembered every single word.
every effortmaximum effort — We made every effort to arrive on time.
every chanceany opportunity that arises — She practises English at every chance.
every reasoncomplete justification — You have every reason to feel proud.
every bitjust as much; completely — The film was every bit as good as the book.
every so oftenfrom time to time — Every so often, we review the rules.

Usage Notes

Key Grammar Rules for Every

Singular verb. Every always takes a singular verb: "Every student is expected to attend" — never "Every students are".

No article needed. Do not use the or a before a noun that is already preceded by every: "every morning" (not "every the morning").

Every vs. all. Use every to refer to individual members of a group; use all to refer to the group as a whole. Compare: "Every player gave their best" (each individual) vs. "All players attended the briefing" (the group collectively).

Every day vs. everyday. "Every day" (two words) is a frequency expression: "I study every day." "Everyday" (one word) is an adjective meaning ordinary: "everyday English". These are a very common source of confusion even for advanced learners.

Every + pronoun. Because every refers to individuals, the pronoun that follows is singular in traditional grammar: "Every student should bring their own pen." Modern British English accepts "their" as a singular gender-neutral pronoun here.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

Every students have to submit the report by Friday.

Every student has to submit the report by Friday. (every + singular noun + singular verb)

I go to the gym every the morning.

I go to the gym every morning. (no article after every)

I wear this coat everyday because it is warm.

I wear this coat every day because it is warm. (frequency phrase = two words)

Every of the children enjoyed the trip.

Each of the children enjoyed the trip. (use each — not every — before "of + noun phrase")

Related Words

each all always everyone / everybody everything everywhere many most

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “every”

What does every mean in English?
Every is a determiner that has three main meanings: (1) each individual one of a group without exception — 'Every student passed the exam'; (2) the greatest possible degree — 'I have every confidence in you'; and (3) something recurring at regular intervals — 'The bus runs every twenty minutes'. It is one of the most frequently used words in English.
What is the difference between every and each?
Both every and each refer to all members of a group individually, but they have different emphases. Every suggests thinking of the group as a whole: 'Every student must attend.' Each focuses on individual members one by one: 'Each student was given a different task.' Every cannot be followed by 'of' + pronoun the way each can; you say 'each of them' but not 'every of them'.
Does every take a singular or plural verb?
Every always takes a singular verb, even though it refers to multiple people or things: 'Every student is required to submit their work.' This is because every treats the group as a series of individuals rather than a collective. The pronoun used to refer back to every + noun is typically 'they/their' in modern British English.
How do you use every with time expressions?
Every is commonly used with time expressions to describe frequency: 'every day', 'every week', 'every two hours', 'every other Monday'. When a number follows every, it expresses intervals: 'every five minutes' means once in each five-minute period. Note: 'every day' (frequency) is written as two words, unlike 'everyday' (adjective meaning ordinary), which is one word.
Can every be used without a noun?
Every must be followed by a singular noun or number phrase. You cannot use every alone as a pronoun. Instead, use everyone, everybody, everything, or everywhere: 'Everyone enjoyed the lesson' (not 'Every enjoyed the lesson'). These compound forms function as pronouns and take singular verbs.
What is the difference between every day and everyday?
'Every day' (two words) is an adverbial phrase meaning 'on each day': 'She practises every day.' 'Everyday' (one word) is an adjective meaning ordinary or typical: 'These are everyday English phrases.' A useful test: if you can replace the phrase with 'each day', use two words. If the word modifies a noun, use one word.
What does every other mean?
'Every other' means alternating — one out of every two. 'She visits every other week' means she visits one week, skips the next, visits the following week, and so on. Similarly, 'every other day' means on alternate days. This pattern can continue with larger intervals: 'every third day', 'every fourth year'.
What are common collocations with every?
Common collocations with every include: every day, every time, every week, every year, every morning, every night, every moment, every effort, every opportunity, every chance, every reason, every single, every other, every now and then, and every bit. Many of these collocations are fixed phrases that appear frequently in both spoken and written English.
Where does the word every come from?
Every comes from Old English 'ǣfre ǣlc', literally meaning 'ever each' — a combination of 'ever' (always) and 'each' (each one). By Middle English it had contracted to 'everich' and then 'every'. The word has been part of English for over a thousand years and remains one of the most common determiners in the language.
How can I practise using every in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise choosing between every, each, all, and any in context. The Flash Cards tool is also useful for learning collocations such as 'every now and then' and 'every single'. Keeping a vocabulary journal where you record and review a new phrase every day is an excellent habit for English learners.