Each vs. Every: Understanding the Basics
While "each" and "every" are both used with singular countable nouns to talk about members of a group, they have distinct grammatical rules. Use each when referring to individual members separately, especially when there are only two items involved (e.g., "He held a ticket in each hand"). Use every to talk about a group as a whole or to describe frequency (e.g., "The train arrives every hour").
In this challenge, you will navigate a variety of quirky scenarios—from clumsy robots to spoiled cats—to practice these rules. You'll learn when to use "each" for pairs (like hands or two-headed turtles), how to correctly express time intervals and frequency, and the strict rules for using these words with prepositions. For example, you'll see why "each of the suspects" is perfectly fine, but "every of the suspects" is always grammatically incorrect.
You will work through 12 questions presented in single-choice, multi-choice, drop-down, and drag-and-drop formats. Try the quiz to check your knowledge!
Help Dr. Fizzle program his clumsy robot. Choose the correct word to complete the command.
The robot must hold a raw egg gently in ___ hand without breaking them!
The correct answer is each.
We use each (not every) when referring to exactly two things, such as a person's or robot's two hands.
All and both are incorrect here because they would require the plural noun "hands" (e.g., "in both hands").
The correct answers are Each of the suspects has an alibi. and Every one of the suspects has an alibi.
When we want to use a plural noun ("suspects") after these quantifiers, we must use each of the or every one of the.
"Every of" does not exist in English. Furthermore, you cannot put "each" directly next to a plural noun without using "of the".
Complete the eccentric inventor's chaotic lab report by dragging the correct words into the gaps.
The new robot holds a laser blaster in each hand, which makes it look very intimidating. Unfortunately, a glitch makes the machine beep loudly every five seconds while playing disco music.
The new robot holds a laser blaster in each hand, which makes it look very intimidating. Unfortunately, a glitch makes the machine beep loudly every five seconds while playing disco music.
Use each when talking about two things (like a pair of hands). Every is only used for groups of three or more. Both cannot be used here because "hand" is singular.
Use every with plural time expressions to describe how often something happens (e.g., every five seconds, every two weeks). We do not use "each" for this kind of frequency.
The correct answers are Each cupcake needs a cherry on top. and Every cupcake needs a cherry on top.
When talking about the members of a group (three or more), each and every are often interchangeable.
Both words must be followed immediately by a singular countable noun ("cupcake", not "cupcakes"). Remember that "every of" is never grammatically correct!
Help the exhausted professor complete her grading notes by dragging the correct words into the blanks.
Practically every student misunderstood the simple essay prompt about historical time travel. However, each of the essays was unique in its own disastrously funny logic!
Practically every student misunderstood the simple essay prompt about historical time travel. However, each of the essays was unique in its own disastrously funny logic!
Use every after adverbs like practically, almost, or nearly. (We cannot say "practically each").
Use each before of + plural noun/pronoun. We never say "every of"! Also, most is incorrect here because the verb "was" is singular, and "most of the essays" would require the plural verb "were".
Assist Detective Crumb with his sugary investigation. Select the grammatically correct sentence.
The correct answer is Each of the suspects had powdered sugar on their shirts.
We can use each with "of the" before a plural noun (Each of the suspects).
However, we CANNOT use "every of". To use every in this way, we must add a pronoun, like "Every one of the suspects." Also, both each and every must be followed by a singular noun if "of the" is not used (e.g., "Every suspect," not "Every suspects").
The correct answers are Each head has its own personality. and Each of the heads likes different food.
We use each when talking about two or more things. However, we only use every when talking about three or more things.
Because the turtle has exactly two heads, we must use "each" (or "each of the"). "Every" is grammatically incorrect when referring to only two items!
The correct answers are every and each.
every is used with plural time expressions to show frequency (e.g., every two hours, every three days). We do not use each in this way.
each is correct in the second blank because it can stand alone as a pronoun to represent individual items in a group. Every cannot be used alone as a pronoun (you cannot say "every is placed"). All is incorrect because the sentence uses the singular verb "is" (it would be "all are placed").
Help the dramatic food critic finish his harsh review by dragging the correct words to the blanks.
I tasted five pies today, and each was worse than the last! I have officially rejected every single pie on this table, and my tastebuds are demanding an apology.
I tasted five pies today, and each was worse than the last! I have officially rejected every single pie on this table, and my tastebuds are demanding an apology.
Each can be used on its own as a pronoun ("each was worse"). Every must always be followed by a noun; it cannot stand alone. All is incorrect because the verb "was" is singular.
We use the emphatic phrase every single to strongly emphasize that there are no exceptions. "Each single" is grammatically incorrect.
The correct answers are Each and every.
Each is correct because it can be followed by "of the" to act as a pronoun. "Every of the" is grammatically incorrect (you would have to say "Every one of the"). "All" is incorrect because the sentence uses the singular verb "has" (it would be "All of the students have").
every is used in the second blank because adverbs of degree like practically, almost, and nearly are only used with every. "All" would require the plural noun "excuses".
Complete the peculiar doctor's prescription instructions. Choose the correct quantifier.
To cure your sudden urge to tap dance, you must drink this glowing green potion ___ four hours.
The correct answer is every.
We use every to talk about how often something happens (frequency) and with regular intervals, such as "every four hours," "every day," or "every three weeks." We do not use each in this way.
The correct answers are each and every.
each is used here because a person only has two hands. We use each (not every) when referring to exactly two things. "Both" is incorrect because it requires a plural noun ("both hands").
every is correct in the second gap because words like almost, practically, and nearly can only be used with every, not each. "All" is incorrect because it requires a plural noun ("all props").
Adverb
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb — adding information about how, when, where, how often, or to what degree something happens: she sings beautifully, unbelievably fast, we go there often. Many adverbs end in -ly, but plenty don't (well, fast, hard, almost).
Adverbs matter because they're how you add nuance without piling on extra clauses. Used well, a single adverb can sharpen a vague sentence (she answered → she answered honestly), but misplace one and the meaning drifts in a way native speakers immediately notice.
Complement
A complement is a word, phrase, or clause that completes the meaning of an expression — what's left dangling without it. After linking verbs like be and seem, a subject complement describes the subject: Ryan is upset, Rachelle is the boss. After certain transitive verbs, an object complement describes the object: That made Michael lazy, We call Rachelle the boss.
Recognising complements helps you tell which sentence parts the verb actually requires versus which are optional extras (adjuncts) — and that in turn shapes when commas are correct.
Countable and uncountable
In English, nouns split into two groups based on whether you can count them. Countable nouns (chair, book, idea) take a/an, form plurals (chairs), and pair with many, few, several. Uncountable nouns (water, furniture, advice, information) take no article in their general sense, have no plural, and pair with much, little, some.
This distinction matters because it controls article choice, plural marking, verb agreement, and quantifier selection — fewer chairs vs less water, an advice (wrong) vs some advice. It's one of the most common error sources for learners from languages without this split.
Determiner
A determiner is a word that comes before a noun to clarify what it refers to: which one, how many, whose. The English determiners include articles (a, the), demonstratives (this, that), possessives (my, your), quantifiers (some, many, few), and distributives (each, every).
Most singular countable nouns in English require a determiner — I bought book is wrong; you need I bought a book or I bought the book. Determiner choice signals how much information you assume the listener already has, so getting it right shapes how natural your speech and writing sound.
Pronoun
A pronoun is a small, closed class of words that stands in for a noun or noun phrase. The main types: personal (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) plus their object (me, him) and possessive (my, mine) forms; demonstrative (this, that); relative (who, which, that); interrogative (who, what); and reflexive (myself, yourself).
Pronouns are how English avoids endlessly repeating names. The catch: their meaning depends entirely on context, so unclear pronoun reference (Tom told Mike that he was wrong — who's he?) is one of the most common writing problems.
Quantifier
A quantifier is a word or phrase that indicates how much or how many of a noun you mean — without giving a precise number. The English quantifiers include all, some, any, no, many, few, much, little, several, each, every, both, either, neither, plus phrases like a lot of, plenty of, a few, a little.
Quantifiers split between count (countable nouns: many, few, several) and mass (uncountable nouns: much, little) — the wrong one (much chairs, many information) is one of the most common slip-ups for learners.
Subject
The subject is the part of a sentence or clause that tells you who or what the sentence is about. It's typically a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that comes before the verb and controls the verb's form: She works (singular) vs They work (plural).
The subject isn't always the doer of the action — in passive sentences, it receives the action (The window was broken). English also uses dummy subjects like it and there that hold the subject slot without carrying real meaning (It is raining; There are problems). Spotting the real subject is what makes subject-verb agreement automatic.
Word Order
Word order is the sequence in which words appear in a sentence. English is fundamentally an SVO language — subject, verb, object (Kate loves Mark). The order of adjectives, adverbs, and modifiers within a noun phrase also follows fixed patterns (a small red wooden box, not a wooden red small box).
In English, word order carries grammatical meaning — change the order and you change the sentence. The dog bit the man and The man bit the dog differ only in word order, but the meaning flips entirely.
Collocations
Collocations are combinations of words that habitually occur together in a fixed order — make a decision (not do a decision), strong coffee (not powerful coffee), heavy rain (not thick rain). The grammar would allow either pairing, but native speakers consistently pick one and reject the other. Common patterns include verb + noun, adjective + noun, adverb + adjective, and adverb + verb.
Learning vocabulary as collocations rather than isolated words is the single fastest way to sound natural in English. It's the difference between I made a big mistake and I did a big mistake — small, but immediately noticeable.
A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate
A2 is the elementary level in the CEFR framework, sitting between A1 and B1. At A2 you can handle routine exchanges — ordering food, asking directions, making small talk — and describe your immediate environment in simple sentences.
Grammatically, A2 introduces past simple and past continuous, present perfect for experiences, basic modal verbs, and the first conditional. You're also picking up collocations and learning which verbs take gerunds vs. infinitives. Knowing your level here is the difference between confident progress and frustration: A2 material consolidates the basics; B1 will overwhelm you.
B1 | Intermediate
B1 is the intermediate level in the CEFR framework — the point where you stop relying on memorised phrases and start handling everyday English independently. At B1 you can describe experiences, explain opinions, and follow most clear standard speech on familiar topics like work, travel, and hobbies.
Grammatically, B1 means combining tenses with precision, building complex sentences, and starting to use passive voice, modal verbs for necessity and possibility, and verb patterns (gerund vs. infinitive). Knowing your level shapes what you study next: pushing too far ahead frustrates you; staying below your level wastes time.
Difficulty: Medium
The Medium difficulty tag marks questions and challenges in the middle of the difficulty range — typically suitable for A2 to B1 learners. Expect a single rule with realistic distractors, longer sentences, and contexts where you have to think before answering rather than reading off the obvious choice.
Filter by Medium when you're past the absolute basics and ready to consolidate. It's the level where most lasting progress happens — easy enough that you can finish without exhausting concentration, hard enough that getting it right means you've actually understood.