The difference between every one and everyone is fine. Everyone is a genderless pronoun used to name nonspecific people. Every one is a phrase that functions as a pronoun. The one part of the phrase is genderless and can apply to any person, but the addition of the adjective every makes the phrase far more specific.

To refer to "everyone" is to imply no specific person. To refer to "every one" is quite the opposite: it emphasizes that each individual is a distinct entity. It is often followed by other words that further define those individuals.

Consider these sentences:

• Phyllis was angry with everyone after the practical joke was revealed.
• Phyllis was angry with every one of her friends after the practical joke was revealed.

In the first, Phyllis's anger is widespread. In the second one, she's not angrier, but her anger is more personally directed toward the individuals involved.

There's a simple test that can help determine which usage is correct... Click here to read the rest of this post at the Word-wise Blog.

The Word-wise Blog is authored by VAF member AnnaLisa of Admin Maven.


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