Word of the Day: Every
The word “every” is similar to “each.” Use “every” when thinking about the single members of a whole group of people or the indivdual parts of an entire thing or a period of time:
- She comes to class every day.
- Every student in this class is expected to participate in class discussion.
- Gloves are provided for every worker who needs them.
- I have to work every Saturday. (This means all of the Saturdays during the year.)
- Mitchell has to work every other Saturday. (This means that he works a Saturday, then he doesn’t, then he does, then he doesn’t, and so on.)
- Edna is sick every few weeks. (This sounds like the situation is repeated often.)
- Our entire family gets together every Christmas.
- Every box on these shelves needs to be loaded onto a truck.
A more difficult use for the word “every” is in describing possibility:
- Don was given every chance to succeed, but he didn’t take advantage of his opportunities.
- They had every reason to believe that their parents survived the plane crash.
- Marissa has used every opportunity to get ahead at the company where she works.
Pay attention to the pronunciation of this word! It’s just two syllables, not three:
ev – ree
For intermediate and advanced learners of English, here’s another way to use the word “every.”
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with E page to see the list of all words starting with letter E. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
