Each and every one of them
Posted by pakguru 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!
question: every person/ anybody is singular – their is plural, why isn’t it anybody can access his/her social media account….????
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!