Differences between any and every

Question

would you give me some clear definitions and examples about the difference between any and every?thank you in advance

Hmea1 · Accepted Answer

"Any" refers to a thing that's not specified/particular. For example, consider this dialogue.

PERSON 1: Which color do you want to paint the house?

PERSON 2: It doesn't matter. Any color is fine with me. - In other words, Person 2 is asking for a color but for no color in particular.

"Every" refers to "all".

For example, "Consider every option you have before making a decision." - in other words "Consider all your options before making a decision."

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousdifference between any and every

The difference is clearest with negatives.

Geoge did not eat any of the cookies that were on the blue plate. (All the cookies on the blue plate were still there.)
George did not eat every cookie that was on the blue plate. (At least one cookie was still on the blue plate, but one or more cookies were gone because George ate those.)

I don't know anybody who likes chocolate sauce on mashed potatoes. (No one who likes that is known to me.)
I don't know everybody who likes chocolate sauce on mashed potatoes. (I may know one or a few people who like that, but there are others who like that, and I don't know them.)

Sue didn't buy anything that was on her grocery list. (At the end of her shopping trip she had nothing at all that she had listed.)
Sue didn't buy everything that was on her grocery list. (At the end of her shopping trip she had some things that she had listed, but she had not bought one or more things that were on the list.)
_______________

With affirmatives, any and every can be very similar, even synonymous.

This pill will relieve any kind of pain.
This pill will relieve every kind of pain.

Henry eats anything they serve him.
Henry eats everything they serve him.

Anybody can do this quite easily.
Everybody can do this quite easily.

any throws out a challenge: Pick any kind of pain you like, and this pill will relieve it. Pick any kind of food you like that is served to Henry, and he will eat it. Test any person you like to see if they can do this easily, and that person will do it easily.

CJ

Differences between any and every

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