Page 204 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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evel}'oneof
We use every one ofbefore a pronoun or a determiner (for example the, my,
these- see 154). The pronoun or noun is plural, but a following verb is singular. every one ofuslyouJthem (+ singular verb)
every one of+ determiner + plural noun (+ singular verb) His books are wonderfuL I've read every one o f them.
Every one o f the children was crying. evel}' one without a noun
We can drop a noun and use every one alone, if the meaning is clear. His books are great. Every one's worth reading.
negative structures
To negate every, we normally use not every. Not every kind ofbird can fly.
(More natural than Every kind ofbird cannotfly.) pronouns and possessives
When a pronoun or possessive is used later in a clause to refer back to every (one), the later word can usually be either singular (more formal) or plural (less formal).
Every person made his/her own travel arrangements.
Every person made their own travel arrangements.
I told every single student what I thought ofhim/her/them.
But if we are talking about something that concerns every member of a group at the same time, a plural word is necessary.
When every passenger's ticket had been checked, the door opened and they all got on. (NOT ••• anti .'1eIshe aH gat (m.)
evel)' + plural noun
Every is used before a plural noun in expressions that refer to intervals. I see her every few days. There's a meeting every six weeks. She had to stop and rest every two or three steps.
evel}'body etc
Everybody, everyone, everything and everywhere are used with singular verbs, like every.
Everybody has gone home. (NOT EtJeryh6tly Mlle ...) Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening. I found that everywhere was booked up.
When possessives and pronouns refer back to everybody/one, they can usually be either singular (more formal) or plural (less formal). Sometimes only a plural word makes sense. Compare:
Has everybody got his or her ticket? (more formal)
Has everybody got their tickets? (less formal)
When everybody had finished eating. the waiters took away their plates.
(NOT ••• his 6r her pi4te.)
Note that everyone (= 'everybody') does not mean the same as every one (which can refer to things as well as people - see paragraph 2 above).
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every (one) 193
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