every
every — adjective
- everypositive
- more everycomparative
- most everysuperlative
1. referring to each individual person or thing in a group, taken one by one, with
referring to each individual person or thing in a group, taken one by one, with a strong emphasis that nobody and nothing is missed or forgotten — the focus is on the single members rather than on the group as a whole.
Every child in the neighbourhood received a small gift from the shopkeeper.
every + singular countable noun
Dewi checked every window and door before leaving for work.
The librarian knows every single book on the shelf by its title.
We invited every member of the team to the farewell dinner.
Caleb has visited every country in Southeast Asia at least once.
文法句型
every + singular noun
every one of + [plural noun phrase]
用法筆記
Always takes a singular countable noun and a singular verb. To refer to a larger group that includes more than one noun, use 'every one of' followed by a plural noun phrase (e.g., 'every one of the students is…'). 'Every' cannot be followed directly by 'of' — the phrase 'every of the…' is incorrect. This sense differs from determiner/1 in that it emphasises each member one at a time rather than the completeness of the whole group.
常見錯誤
2. used before a number, or before 'other', to mark each member at a fixed position
used before a number, or before 'other', to mark each member at a fixed position within a numbered order or list — for example, every second house on a street, every third page of a book, or every other seat in a row.
A fire hydrant sits at every second street corner in this neighbourhood.
every + ordinal number for spatial sequence
Astrid took every other seat in the row to leave space between passengers.
every other + noun for alternating positions
The security guard checks every third room on the floor late at night.
Kemi's name appears on every fourth page of the old photo album.
A donation box was placed at every fifth table during the charity dinner.
文法句型
every + number + plural noun
every other + singular noun
every few + plural noun
every + day/week/month/year
用法筆記
When used with 'other', the noun stays singular (every other day, every other house). With a number, the noun is plural (every two years, every five seats). Unlike determiner/7, this sense is about position within a series or order, not about how often a recurring event happens.
常見錯誤
every — determiner
1. used to talk about a complete set of people or things that form a group of at le
used to talk about a complete set of people or things that form a group of at least three, where the focus is on the fullness or the general makeup of the group rather than on the separate individuals inside it.
Every child in the school received a new notebook on Monday.
every + noun + in [place/group]
Gabriela has visited every museum in the city this summer.
Every house on Ramón's street has a small garden at the back.
The teacher checked every answer before returning the test papers.
Diya knows the name of every student in her class by heart.
文法句型
every + [singular noun]
用法筆記
Followed by a singular countable noun and a singular verb, even when the meaning is clearly about a group of multiple people or things. This sense differs from adjective/1 in that it treats the whole set as a complete collection rather than singling out each member one by one.
常見錯誤
2. Used in the pattern 'every bit as...as' to say that one person or thing is equal
Used in the pattern 'every bit as...as' to say that one person or thing is equal to another in a particular quality, often to emphasise that there is no difference at all.
Tariq's cooking is every bit as good as his mother's famous dishes.
every bit as + adj + as [comparison]
The view from the top was every bit as stunning as the guide had promised.
Élise proved she was every bit as fast as the team captain at the race.
Christopher found the second novel every bit as exciting as the very first one.
文法句型
every bit as + adj + as
用法筆記
Only appears in the fixed expression 'every bit as...as'. The adjective must be placed between the two 'as' words. Deleting any part of this structure makes the sentence ungrammatical.
常見錯誤
3. Placed before a noun to emphasise the complete set of people or items in a group
Placed before a noun to emphasise the complete set of people or items in a group, leaving out nobody and nothing — commonly reinforced by adding 'single', 'last', or 'possible' after 'every'.
Hao has read every single book that the famous author has ever written.
every single + noun (emphatic)
Sayaka cleaned every single dish after the huge family dinner last night.
The coach made every possible effort to help the team win the match.
Felix checked every last detail before submitting his report to the manager.
Indra answered every single question on the test without any outside help.
- all
All is less emphatic. 'All students passed' states a fact; 'Every single student passed' adds emotional weight.
- each and every
Each and every is a fixed phrase that combines both words for maximum emphasis. It is more formal than the intensifying patterns above.
文法句型
every single + noun
every last + noun
every possible + noun
用法筆記
Common intensifying patterns are 'every single', 'every last', and 'every possible'. 'Every single' is the most common in spoken English. 'Every last' is more informal and carries a sense of completeness.
常見錯誤
4. Used with location words such as 'direction', 'side', or 'corner' to mean all po
Used with location words such as 'direction', 'side', or 'corner' to mean all possible places or physical sides, often in phrases that describe searching or the origin of something.
People came from every direction to watch the parade on Saturday morning.
from every direction
Walid looked in every direction but could not find his missing wallet.
The strong wind seemed to blow from every side at the same time.
Michael searched every corner of the old house for the hidden key.
- all over
All over is less precise. 'Papers were all over the floor' vs 'Papers were on every side of the floor' — the latter suggests even distribution.
文法句型
from every direction
in every direction
on every side
every corner of + noun
用法筆記
Almost always appears within fixed prepositional phrases. The prepositions 'in', 'from', 'to', and 'on' are the most common partners. The noun is always singular.
常見錯誤
5. Used in the phrase 'in every way' to say that something is true from all possibl
Used in the phrase 'in every way' to say that something is true from all possible viewpoints, aspects, or methods — covering all the ways something can be considered.
In every way, the new library is much better than the old one.
in every way (sentence-initial)
Gabriela tried to help her friend in every way she could think of.
The twins are different in every way except for their appearance.
Ishaan's plan seemed perfect in every way, or so everyone thought.
- in all respects
More formal. Used in academic or business writing. 'The proposal is sound in all respects' sounds more official than 'in every way'.
- completely
An adverb that replaces the whole phrase. 'I completely agree' is simpler but less precise than 'I agree in every way'.
文法句型
in every way
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the set phrase 'in every way'. This phrase is highly flexible: it can begin a sentence, appear after the verb, or end a clause. 'In every way' is not usually broken apart.
常見錯誤
6. used before abstract nouns such as 'reason', 'right', 'chance', 'indication', or
used before abstract nouns such as 'reason', 'right', 'chance', 'indication', or 'hope' to say that a person has a complete and legitimate basis for feeling or expecting something — for example, having every reason to be proud, or every hope that something will happen.
Linh has every reason to feel proud of her amazing achievement.
every reason to + verb
Folake had every right to be upset about the sudden change of plan.
have every right
There is every chance that the rain will stop before the wedding starts.
Soraya gave every indication that she would accept the job offer.
Felix had every hope that his team would win the final match.
文法句型
have every + [noun] + to + [verb]
there is every + [noun] + that
every + [noun] + that
用法筆記
Only pairs with a limited set of abstract nouns — most commonly 'reason', 'right', 'chance', 'indication', and 'hope'. It cannot be used with concrete nouns ('every book needed') in this sense. Unlike sense 10 (maximum degree), which focuses on the intensity of an effort or attitude, this sense focuses on the person's legitimate justification or basis for a feeling.
常見錯誤
7. used before units of time such as 'day', 'year', or 'hour', and with numerals, t
used before units of time such as 'day', 'year', or 'hour', and with numerals, to state how often an event happens on a regular, repeating schedule — for example, a bus that runs every ten minutes or a holiday trip taken every summer.
Felix goes to the gym every morning before work.
every + time noun for daily routine
The office cleaners come every other Thursday to wash the floors.
every other + time noun for alternate intervals
The Yamada family visits their relatives in Kyoto every summer.
Tamar checks her email every few hours during a big project.
The shuttle bus runs every twenty minutes from the train station.
文法句型
every + time noun (day, week, year)
every other + time noun
every + number + time noun
用法筆記
Always followed by a singular noun — 'every day', not *'every days'. With numbers and 'few', the noun is plural: 'every two weeks', 'every few months'. The 'every other' pattern means 'alternate': 'every other day' = Monday, Wednesday, Friday... This sense differs from adjective/2, which is about fixed positions in a spatial or ordinal sequence rather than the time-based frequency of repeated events.
常見錯誤
8. used in either of the fixed phrases 'every now and then' or 'every so often' to
used in either of the fixed phrases 'every now and then' or 'every so often' to mean occasionally, on an irregular or loosely recurring basis — both phrases carry a similar meaning and are largely interchangeable in everyday English.
Dewi still writes letters to her grandmother every now and then.
fixed phrase 'every now and then' for irregular occasions
Every now and then, Marco tries a new restaurant in the neighbourhood.
fronted 'every now and then' at the start of a sentence
Yasmin pulls out her old film camera every now and then to take photos.
The two old friends talk on the phone every now and then.
Chiara bakes her own bread every so often when she has time.
Every so often, the school holds a talent show for students and parents.
Ishaan takes his dog for a walk on the beach every so often.
The old grandfather clock in the hallway chimes every so often at night.
- occasionally
more formal and can be placed more flexibly in a sentence
- from time to time
slightly more formal but similar in meaning to both phrases
- periodically
more formal and implies a somewhat regular schedule
- now and again
informal and very similar to 'every now and then'
文法句型
every now and then at start or end of clause
every so often at start or end of clause
用法筆記
Both 'every now and then' and 'every so often' are fixed expressions — do not drop any part of them or rearrange the words. They can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. The two phrases are largely interchangeable in everyday use.
常見錯誤
9. used before abstract nouns such as 'effort', 'intention', 'sympathy', or 'determ
used before abstract nouns such as 'effort', 'intention', 'sympathy', or 'determination' to indicate the highest possible degree or the maximum amount that can be put into doing something — for example, making every effort to finish a project, or showing every sympathy for someone's loss.
Dr. Beatriz made every effort to explain the treatment to her patient.
every + effort for maximum attempt
The volunteer team made every possible attempt to deliver food before the storm.
every possible + abstract noun for extra emphasis
The rescue team showed every determination to reach the stranded hikers before dark.
The principal had every intention of speaking to each class about the new policy.
The coach expressed every confidence in the team's ability to win the championship.
- no
the opposite expression would be 'no effort', 'no intention', etc.
文法句型
every + abstract noun (effort, intention, sympathy, determination, care)
用法筆記
Only used with abstract uncountable nouns like 'effort', 'intention', 'sympathy', 'determination', 'confidence'. Never used with concrete nouns or plural nouns in this sense. 'Every possible' can be inserted for extra emphasis: 'every possible effort'. Unlike sense 6 (justification/entitlement), this sense is about the intensity or degree of an action or attitude.