Getting each one right every time

When should we write each and every? All too often these words are confused, especially where agreement (ensuring the sentence’s subject and the pronoun referring to it are both singular or both plural) is concerned.

Each means an individual object or person. For example, Each quarterback throws the ball a little differently.

Every means a two or more objects or people treated as one entity. To wit, Every quarterback dreams of winning the Super Bowl.

Part of the confusion rests in the fact that the words can be used interchangeably in some instance; it’s all a matter of what you want to emphasize. Johnny received each gift on his Christmas list emphasizes the individual gifts while Johnny received every gift on his Christmas list emphasizes that all of them were given, but practicably speaking, what’s the difference?

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