“Each” and “every” are two words frequently confused by English language learners. At times, they can mean the same thing. At other times, there is a subtle difference in meaning. Both “each” and “every” are used as determiners to specify quantity, but only “each” can also be used as a pronoun.
Each
“Each” emphasizes every one individually or separately, as in “one by one”. “Each” can be used in front of a verb and is used when referring to two things or people.
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Each student will receive a different theme for their final project.
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We each took turns making dinner while our mother was away.
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There are holes in each sock.
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“Each” can be used with the preposition “of”. In this construction, “each of” is followed by a pronoun or a noun with a determiner.
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Each of them is expected to do well on the exam.
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Each of his sisters received a new car for their graduation, so he expects one too.
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“Each”, unlike “every”, can also be used as an indefinite pronoun.
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The whole office is playing the lottery this week and each has an equal chance of winning.
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I like both dresses, but each costs more than I want to spend.
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Every
By using “every”, we emphasize the group and can only be used with groups of three or more people or things. “Every” is used to generalize or to express how often something happens and is always followed by a noun.
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Every student will be given a project to complete by the end of the semester.
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I don’t know, but every summer it just seems to get hotter and hotter.
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We have practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the school year.
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They suggest you have your teeth cleaned once every six months.
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“Every” can be used with abstract nouns, but not “each”.
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I have every reason to believe that it will happen.
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I have each reason to believe that it will happen.
“Every” can be used with adverbs.
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Almost every answer was incorrect.
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We go to California to visit our grandparents nearly every summer.
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Note: Verbs used with “each” and “every” are always in the singular.
“Each” y “every” son dos palabras que con frecuencia confunden los estudiantes de inglés. Ambas se traducen como “cada” y a veces, pueden significar lo mismo. Sin embargo, en otras ocasiones, hay una diferencia sutil en el sentido. Las dos se utilizan como determinantes para especificar cantidad, pero sólo “each” se puede utilizar como pronombre.
Each
“Each” enfatiza cada uno individualmente o por separado, como “uno por uno”. “Each” se puede utilizar delante de un verbo y se usa cuando se refiere a dos cosas o personas.
Ejemplos:
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Each student will receive a different theme for their final project.(Cada estudiante recibirá un tema diferente para su proyecto final.
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We each took turns making dinner while our mother was away.(Cada uno de nosotros nos turnamos para hacer la cena, mientras que nuestra madre estaba ausente.)
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There are holes in each sock.(Hay agujeros en cada calcetín.)
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“Each” se puede usar con la preposición “of”. En esta construcción, “each of” va seguida por un pronombre o un sustantivo con un determinante.
Ejemplos:
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Each of them is expected to do well on the exam.(Cada uno de ellos se espera hacerlo bien en el examen.)
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Each of his sisters received a new car for their graduation, so he expects one too.(Cada una de sus hermanas recibió un coche nuevo para su graduación, por lo que él espera uno también.)
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“Each”, a diferencia de “every”, puede utilizarse también como un pronombre indefinido.
Ejemplos:
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The whole office is playing the lottery this week and each has an equal chance of winning.(Toda la oficina juega a la lotería esta semana y cada uno tiene la misma oportunidad de ganar.)
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I like both dresses, but each costs more than I want to spend.(Me gustan los dos vestidos, pero cada uno cuesta más de lo que quería gastar.)
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Every
Mediante el uso de “every”, destacamos el grupo y sólo se puede utilizar con grupos de tres o más personas o cosas. “Every” se utiliza para generalizar o para expresar la frecuencia con que algo suceda y siempre va seguida de un sustantivo.
Ejemplos:
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Every student will be given a project to complete by the end of the semester.(Cada estudiante recibirá un proyecto para completar al final del semestre.)
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I don’t know, but every summer it just seems to get hotter and hotter.(No sé, pero cada verano parece más y más caluroso.)
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We have practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the school year.(Tenemos entrenamientos todos los lunes, miércoles y viernes durante el año escolar.)
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They suggest you have your teeth cleaned once every six months.(Sugieren que hagas una limpieza de boca una vez cada seis meses.)
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“Every” se puede utilizar con sustantivos abstractos.
Ejemplos:
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I have every reason to believe that it will happen.(Tengo muchas razones para creer que ocurrirá.)
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I have each reason to believe that it will happen.
“Every” se usa con adverbios.
Ejemplos:
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Almost every answer was incorrect.(Casi cada respuesta era incorrecta.)
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We go to California to visit our grandparents nearly every summer.(Vamos a California para visitar a nuestros abuelos casi todos los veranos.)
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Nota: Los verbos utilizados con “each” y “every” siempre están en singular.
