'Every' Placement

Question

I'm always busy on the last day of every month-end closing.I'm always busy on every last day of (the) month-end closing.Which sentence above is correct?In the second sentence, should I use the article 'the' or leave it out?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hi Anon;
The way I see it, there is one and only one last day for each month-end closing.
There are many month-end closings (probably 12 in a year).
Every month-end closing (in the year), I am always busy on the last day.
I'm always busy on the last day of every month-end closing.
Does that make sense?

Anonymous · Answer

Hello. Thanks so much for your response.

Yes, it does make sense. I see what you mean. However, in the sentence below, isn't it understood that there's one and only one last day in each month-end closing and 'every' just refers to the last day of each month-end closing?

I'm always busy on every last day of (the) month-end closing.

Another example:
Every first Friday of (each/the) month, they hold Mass for the sick.

Is the sentence above correct?
Which is appropriate? 'Each' or 'the'?

Mister Micawber · Answer

I think common sense tells us when the staff are busy. You don't even need as much as you've got if this is a communication with someone who knows what you do:

I'm always busy on the last day of month-end closing.

And it's usually: The first Friday of each/every month....

Anonymous · Answer

OK, I got it.  Thank you for your helpful response.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

A word can be logically used with 'every' only if the word refers to multiple items (all of them). Every is not used with the determiner the, because it is a determiner itself.

He ate every chocolate drop in the candy bowl.

Rewrite: He ate all of the chocolate drops

The squirrels took a bite out of every walnut on my tree.
Rewrite: They bit all of the walnuts on my tree.

Every Friday in the summertime, the village holds a fair.
Rewrite: They have a fair on all of the Fridays in summertime.

But when the word refers to a unique singular thing, such as "the last day of closing" or "first Friday of the month," every cannot be used.

Every first Friday of the month - does not make and sense, because there is only one first Friday each month. You cannot rewrite it this way:

On all of the first Fridays of the month ....

Hope this is clearer;
Regards
A-

s

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, A-

s. Yes, this is clearer and very helpful. However, I thought of another example...

Every first born in the village shall be brought before the king.
Rewrite: All of the first borns in the village shall be brought before the king.

I think 'every' and 'first' here can go together. I'm not sure, though. If this is possible, does it really depend on the context?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

It depends on the definition!

A "first born" is the eldest child in a family.

If there are many families in the village, and each family has one or more children, then there are many first borns who live there.
The king wants to see all of them.

Cheers,
A-

s

Anonymous · Answer

I'm sorry, I'm just trying to compare "every first Friday" with "every first born" based on your explanation in your last post. The way I analyse the former is as follows:

If there are 12 months, and each month has one first Friday, then there are many first Fridays of the month in a year.

Also, if we see "first Friday of the month" as a whole and as a part of a year, then I think it becomes logical like saying "all of the first Fridays of the month of a year". But if "first Friday" is seen as just a part of a month, then it doesn't make any sense especially with the article "the" before the word "month", which refers to one specific month. Would you agree?

Every first Friday of the month (of a year)

Every first Friday of the month

I ask for clarification because I typed "Every first Friday of the month" in google, and had many hits. Nevertheless, I agree "on the first Friday of each/every month" is better and not confusing. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Anonymous'm sorry, I'm just trying to compare "every first Friday" with "every first born" based on your explanation in your last post.

That's fine. We like to keep on until the horse is beaten to death!

You cannot compare "first born" and 'first Friday" - it's like comparing apples and oranges. Viz: (omitting first)

1) The party they gave for their son was on a Friday.
2) They gave a birthday gift to the Smiths' born.
The first sentence makes perfect sense.

The second sentence makes no sense. The term first born cannot be divided! You have no choice but to use "first," because it is essential to the word "first born".

AnonymousEvery first Friday of the month (of a year)
Every first Friday of the month

This does not work because of the month is a prepositional adjective phrase which restricts Friday to one and only one occurance. Let's look at something a bit different with the same grammatical structure:

There are many babies in the nursery; each in their own crib.

The baby in the crib is screaming. Fine.

Every baby in the crib is screaming. No. It does not make sense, because there is only one baby in the crib (whichever crib you are referring to.).
Every baby in the nursery is crying. - OK. It's bedlam in the nursery.

Every baby in a crib is crying. Ok, because in a crib restricts baby to any baby who is in a crib, and does not include the ones who are being cuddled by the nurses.
The baby in the crib in the nursery is crying. Fine. The prepositional phrase in the nursery further restricts the crib, to one which is in the nursery not in the hallway.
Every baby in the crib in the nursery is crying. No. There's still only one baby in the crib, which is in the nursery (not in the hallway).

Regards,
A-

s

Anonymous · Answer

Hi AlpheccaStars,

I can see now the difference. 'First' and 'born' are inseperable. Also, omitting 'first' makes it incorrect to use 'born' alone as a noun, unlike 'Friday' which can be used as a noun like in your example.

As I've understood your examples, the use of 'the' in a prepositional adjective phrase means there's one and only one object, occurence, etc., but the use of 'a' is possible with the restriction you've mentioned. Therefore, can I say the phrase below because 'of a month' restricts 'first Friday' to any Friday which is first in a month, not second nor third and so forth?

Every first Friday of a month...

I hope I've understood it completely and we've beaten the horse to death.

Thank you so much for your help and patience. I really appreciate them.

'Every' Placement

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