The words ‘each’ and ‘every’ have a lot in common. They are both used to refer to a group of things. And they’re both used with singular nouns. Heck, they’re even interchangeable a lot of the time.
The problem is that they’re not interchangeable all of the time. This means it’s easy to use the wrong term in your writing, so check out our guide on how to avoid errors with these words.
Groups of Three or More Things
‘Each’ and ‘every’ are both determiners that indicate a group or collection of nouns. When describing a group of three or more things or people, you can use either term. For instance:
Each clown wore big shoes. ✓
Every clown wore big shoes. ✓
Both of these are correct. The only difference is that ‘each’ refers to the clowns as individuals, whereas ‘every’ refers to the group as a whole. The best term to use therefore depends on whether you want to focus on the group as a set of individuals or as an overall collective.
Each of a Pair
The biggest difference between ‘each’ and ‘every’ is that ‘every’ only ever refers to groups of three or more. If you are discussing only two things or peoples, the correct word will always be ‘each’:
She wore a stud in each ear. ✓
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She wore a stud in every ear. ✗
The first sentence here is correct for someone with two ears. The second would only be correct if we were discussing someone with at least three ears. And that would be unusual.
Every vs. All
The difference between ‘every’ and ‘all’ is also worth highlighting. Both of these terms can refer to a large group. But while ‘every’ is used with singular countable nouns, ‘all’ is used with plural and uncountable nouns:
Every dog deserves treats. ✓
All dogs deserve treats. ✓
Here, for example, we can see that ‘every’ is used with the singular ‘dog’ while ‘all’ is used with the plural ‘dogs’. We can also see how the verb form in the sentence changes accordingly.
Each and Every?
Finally, you might see the phrase ‘each and every’ used to add emphasis when describing a large group. This is fine in less formal writing, but it is also a redundant expression (i.e. a phrase that contains repetition). Consequently, it is best to avoid it in formal writing.