Each and every one of them

Posted by Pak Guru on April 27th, 2018 | 2 responses | grammar, IELTS, semua, setiap, speaking, vocabulary, writing

Every people can access their own social media account with the touch of a finger.

This is partly forgivable. We know that millions of people (= millions of fingers) use social media, and this writer is making a statement that applies to all of these people. However, there is some faulty grammar:

• Every field is going through rapid change.
• The crowds were getting worse every minute!
• These days every genre is using every sound.
• Every + field, minute, genre, sound (singular, even though we’re thinking about all fields, minutes, genres, sounds!)

I know. It’s crazy. And the same applies to each:

• Each correct answer is worth 10 points.
• Each room contains high speed wireless internet access.
• Each drink contains 108 calories.
• Each + answer, room, drink  (singular, even though we’re thinking about all answers, rooms, drinks!)

Summary

Returning to our opening example we at least need:

• Every person can access their own social media account with the touch of a finger.

However, when we’re talking about people it is much more common to use words like anyone, everyone, everybody or anybody:

• Anybody can access their own social media account with the touch of a finger.

Finally, a common expression used to emphasise all of them is:

• Each and every one of them.
• Each + one, Every + one!

2 responses to “Each and every one of them”

1. Elena Szirmai says:

   April 28, 2018 at 3:31 pm

   question: every person/ anybody is singular – their is plural, why isn’t it anybody can access his/her social media account….????

   Reply
   • Pak Guru says:

     April 28, 2018 at 10:23 pm

     Good point Elena! His/her is also ‘correct’, but is generally thought to be inelegant, even sexist. Most people use ‘their’ as a substitute for his/her!

     Reply