Each, every, whole, few and hardly any
Each of us or every one of us, the whole day or all day, few or a few, hardly any, most people.
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Quantifiers say how many or how much: some, a lot of, both, all. You met the basic ones at A2 and B1. This page is about pairs that look alike but are used differently: each and every, whole and all, few and a few, and a few more, like hardly any and a great deal of.
Words | The difference |
|---|---|
each / every | each: one by one, two or more; every: all, three or more |
the whole / all | the whole + a singular noun; all + a plural or uncountable noun |
few / a few | few: not many (negative); a few: some (positive) |
hardly any | almost no |
a great deal of | a lot of + an uncountable noun (formal) |
Each and every
Each looks at the people or things one by one. Every looks at them as a group: all of them, with no exception. Often both are possible. Both take a singular noun and a singular verb.
- Each student has a different task.
- Every room in the hotel has a view of the sea.
- I go to the gym every day.
Where only one of them is possible:
When | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
two things | each | a ring on each hand |
before of | each, every one | each of them, every one of them |
on its own, without a noun | each | They cost five pounds each. |
how often | every | every two weeks, every other day |
after almost, nearly, not | every | almost every house |
- Incorrect: Every of the students has a laptop.
- Correct: Each of the students has a laptop. / Every one of the students has a laptop.Every can't take of on its own. Use each of or every one of.
- Incorrect: He had a bag in every hand.
- Correct: He had a bag in each hand.A person has two hands, so use each.
Whole and all
The whole + a singular countable noun means "all of it, every part". All goes with plural and uncountable nouns. With a singular time word, both are common: all day = the whole day.
- I spent the whole weekend in bed.
- She has lived here her whole life.
- All the shops were closed.
- We spent all the money on the first day.
- Incorrect: We spent the whole money on the first day.
- Correct: We spent all the money on the first day.Money is uncountable, so use all, not the whole.
- Incorrect: I was ill whole the week.
- Correct: I was ill the whole week. / I was ill all week.Whole goes after the, my or this: the whole week.
Few and a few, little and a little
A few (with plural nouns) and a little (with uncountable nouns) mean "some, a small number or amount". The meaning is positive: there is enough. Few and little without a mean "not many, not much", often less than we want or expect. They sound a little formal; in conversation very few, very little or not many, not much are more usual.
- I've got a few friends in Rome, so I won't be lonely.
- Very few people came to the meeting. We were disappointed.
- There's a little milk left, enough for one coffee.
- He has little interest in politics.
- Incorrect: I have little friends here.
- Correct: I have few friends here. / I don't have many friends here.Friends is a plural noun, so use few, not little.
Quite a few means "quite a lot": Quite a few people complained.
Hardly any, hardly anyone, hardly ever
Hardly any means "almost no". Hardly anyone means "almost nobody", and hardly ever means "almost never". Hardly already has a negative meaning, so the rest of the sentence is positive.
- There's hardly any food in the fridge.
- Hardly anyone came to the party.
- We hardly ever go to the cinema now.
- Incorrect: There's hardly no coffee left.
- Correct: There's hardly any coffee left.Hardly is already negative. Use any, not no.
A great deal of, a large number of, plenty of
A great deal of means "a lot of" with an uncountable noun. A large number of is the same with a plural noun. Both are a little formal. Plenty of means "more than enough" and works with both kinds.
- The project took a great deal of time.
- A large number of people have applied for the job.
- Don't hurry. We've got plenty of time.
- Incorrect: A great deal of people have applied for the job.
- Correct: A large number of people have applied for the job.A great deal of goes with an uncountable noun. People is plural.
Most, most of
Most + a noun is about people or things in general. Most of goes before the, my, these or a pronoun.
- Most people enjoy music.
- Most of my friends live in the city.
- Most of them speak English.
- Incorrect: Most of people like holidays.
- Correct: Most people like holidays.Without the, my or a pronoun, use most, not most of.