Definition every in British English

Every is generally used before a singular countable noun. The only exceptions are at Sense 2, where every can be used in phrases like ‘every three hours’, and at Sense 3.

A noun subject that follows every is used with a singular verb.

In formal writing, a pronoun or possessive adjective that refers to a subject with every is usually singular: Every employee has his or her own key to the building. However, in conversation and in informal writing these pronouns and possessive adjectives are often plural: Every employee has their own key to the building.

The pronoun every is usually used with a singular noun:

✗ Every people has the right to live without fear of crime.

✓ Every person has the right to live without fear of crime.

✗ You can’t blame the parents for every mistakes of their children.

✓ You can’t blame the parents for every mistake of their children.

However, plural nouns are used in these patterns, for talking about how often something happens:

▪ every few + plural noun

▪ every + number + plural noun

He pulled out his watch every few seconds.

On average, we meet for three hours every ten days.

If something happens each day, you say that it happens every day:

In the dry season, they move camp every day.

➡ everyday

Don’t confuse every one (two words) and everyone (one word):

✗ It is useful for every one to watch the news.

✓ It is useful for everyone to watch the news.

Every one means ‘each one’:

The government signed 453 treaties with the Native Americans and broke every one.

Everyone has the same meaning as everybody, and means ‘all people’.

Walking benefits everyone.

Every one is often followed by of:

It will require the support of every one of you.

Most of the pronouns that start with every are written as one word: everyone, everything, everybody, everywhere. The exception is every time, which is always written as two words:

✗ Having a child changes every thing in a couple’s life.

✓ Having a child changes everything in a couple’s life.

✗ Everytime I see the prisoners, it reminds me of animals kept in captivity.

✓ Every time I see the prisoners, it reminds me of animals kept in captivity.