Key difference: ‘Each’ and ‘Every’ are determiners, which are used to express quantity. The term ‘each’ is used to specify only one thing; whereas, the term ‘every’ is used to specify all the constituents among the group.
‘Each’ is used along with the countable nouns in a sentence. It is a determiner word basically used with a singular noun, in order to indicate the specific 'one' quantity. It is used to express the importance of that object. It suppresses and focuses on that thing. It is generally used in case of two objects, where it suppresses the specific needed object and its requirements. It is also used as pronoun.
For example:
- He wrote added pages in each book.
- The students were waiting for the answer sheets to be handed out. Each was in a state of great curiosity.
‘Every’ is used for referring to all the objects included in a group. It is used in reference to generalize something. The word indicates the involvement of all the constituents. It is also used as an adverb; it is generally used to combine all the objects. It reflects the idea in a single point of view. It describes the entire things as a whole. It sometimes helps in explaining the comparison of a specific term with more general terms. ‘Every’ is also used to refer to repeated, regular events.
For example:
- Every fruit has some constituent in itself.
- Every human being on this piece of earth is a living creature.
The words ‘each’ and ‘every’ are usually used together, as ‘each and every’ in common English.
For example:
- Each and every path we could have taken has been exhauted.
- Each and every child has the right to education in society.
Comparison between Each and Every:
Each | Every | |
Meaning according to Dictionary.com | “every one of two or more considered individually or one by one”. | “being one of a group or series taken collectively; each” |
Origin | Before 900 in Middle English. | 1125–75 in Middle English. |
Indicate | Used to indicate one object. | Used to indicate all the objects. |
Purpose | This word sometimes separates the objects from a group. | This word always combines the objects from a group. |
Used as | Used as adjective, pronoun and adverb. | Used as adjective and idioms. |
Examples | each stone in a building; a hallway with a door at each end. | We go there every day. |
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