English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 90: All, every and whole

All and everybody/everyone

We do not normally use all to mean everybody/everyone:
  • Everybody had a great time at the party. (not All enjoyed)
But we say all of us / all of you / all of them:
  • All of us had a great time at the party. (not Everybody of us)

All and everything

Sometimes you can use all or everything:
  • I'll do all I can to help. or I'll do everything I can to help.

You can say 'all I can' / 'all you need' etc., but we do not normally use all alone:
  • He thinks he knows everything. (not he knows all)
  • Our holiday was a disaster. Everything went wrong. (not All went wrong)

But you can say all about:
  • He knows all about computers.

We also use all (not everything) to mean 'the only thing(s)':
  • All I've eaten today is a sandwich. (= the only thing I've eaten today)

Every / everybody / everyone / everything are singular words, so we use a singular verb:
  • Every seat in the theatre was taken.
  • Everybody has arrived. (not have arrived)

But we use they/them/their after everybody/everyone:
  • Everybody said they enjoyed themselves. (= everybody enjoyed himself or herself)

Whole and all

Whole = complete, entire. Most often we use whole with singular nouns:
  • Did you read the whole book? (= all the book, not just a part of it)
  • Emily has lived her whole life in the same town.
  • I was so hungry, I ate a whole packet of biscuits. (= a complete packet)

We use the/my/her etc. before whole. Compare whole and all:
her whole life but all her life

We do not normally use whole with uncountable nouns. We say:
  • I've spent all the money you gave me. (not the whole money)

Every/all/whole with time words

We use every to say how often something happens (every day / every Monday / every ten minutes / every three weeks etc.):
  • When we were on holiday, we went to the beach every day. (not all days)
  • The bus service is excellent. There's a bus every ten minutes.
  • We don't see each other very often - about every six months.

All day / the whole day = the complete day from beginning to end:
  • We spent all day / the whole day on the beach.
  • Dan was very quiet. He didn't say a word all evening / the whole evening.

Note that we say all day (not all the day), all week (not all the week) etc.

Compare all the time and every time:
  • They never go out. They are at home all the time. (= always, continuously)
  • Every time I see you, you look different. (= each time, on every occasion)

90.1 Complete these sentences with all, everything or everybody/everyone.

  1. It was a good party. had a great time.
  2. I've eaten today is a sandwich.
  3. __________ has their faults. Nobody is perfect.
  4. Nothing has changed. __________ is the same as it was.
  5. Kate told me __________ about her new job. It sounds quite interesting.
  6. Can __________ write their names on a piece of paper, please?
  7. Why are you always thinking about money? Money isn't __________ .
  8. I didn't have much money with me. __________ I had was ten pounds.
  9. When the fire alarm rang, __________ left the building immediately.
  10. Sarah didn't say where she was going. __________ she said was that she was going away.
  11. We have completely different opinions. I disagree with __________ she says.
  12. We all did well in the exam. __________ in our class passed.
  13. We all did well in the exam. __________ of us passed.
  14. Why are you so lazy? Why do you expect me to do __________ for you?

90.2 Write sentences with whole.

  1. I read the book from beginning to end.
    .
  2. Everyone in the team played well.
    The __________ .
  3. Paul opened a box of chocolates. When he finished eating, there were no chocolates left in the box.
    He ate __________ .
  4. The police came to the house. They were looking for something. They searched everywhere, every room.
    They __________ .
  5. Everyone in Ed and Jane's family plays tennis. Ed and Jane play, and so do all their children.
    The __________ .
  6. Ann worked from early in the morning until late in the evening.
    __________ .
  7. Jack and Lisa had a week's holiday by the sea. It rained from the beginning of the week to the end.
    It __________ .

Now write sentences 6 and 7 again using all instead of whole.

  1. (6) Ann __________ .
  2. (7) __________ .

90.3 Complete these sentences using every with the following:

  • five minutes
  • ten minutes
  • four hours
  • six months
  • four years
  1. The bus service is very good. There's a bus .
  2. Tom is ill. He has some medicine. He has to take it __________ .
  3. The Olympic Games take place __________ .
  4. We live near a busy airport. A plane flies over our house __________ .
  5. Martin goes to the dentist for a check-up __________ .

90.4 Which is the correct alternative?

  1. I've spent the whole money / all the money you gave me.
    • the whole money
    • all the money
  2. Sue works every day / all days except Sunday.
    • every day
    • all days
  3. I'm tired. I've been working hard all the day / all day.
    • all the day
    • all day
  4. It was a terrible fire. Whole building / The whole building was destroyed.
    • Whole building
    • The whole building
  5. I've been trying to contact her, but every time / all the time I phone there's no answer.
    • every time
    • all the time
  6. I don't like the weather here. It rains every time / all the time.
    • every time
    • all the time
  7. When I was on holiday, all my luggage / my whole luggage was stolen.
    • all my luggage
    • my whole luggage

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