not all + plural noun + verbUse this pattern for a group. The noun is plural, and the meaning is partial: some yes, some no.
Not All and Not Every
B2Use not all and not every for partial negation. They mean some do and some do not, not zero.
What you'll learn
- Say that a statement is true for some people or things, but not for all.
- Use not every + singular noun for partial negative meaning.
- Distinguish partial negation from zero meaning.
- Choose not all with plural nouns and not every with singular nouns.
Structure
not every + singular noun + verbUse this pattern with a singular noun. The meaning is still partial, not zero.
Build a sentence
Pattern
Noun set
Notallstudentspassed
Not all students passed the test.
Use not all with a plural noun for a partial result.
When to use
Mixed results
Use these forms when one part of a group matches and another part does not. Not all students passed means some passed and some did not.
Individual items
Use not every before a singular noun when you think about each item separately. Not every room has a window.
Markers
not allnot everysome but not allmixed resultspart of the group
In contrast
vs double-negation
Not all / not every express a partial negative. Double negation adds two negative forms and creates a different problem.
Common mistakes
Wrong
No students passed the test.
Correct
Not all students passed the test.
No students means zero students. Not all students means some passed, but some did not.
Wrong
All students did not pass the test.
Correct
Not all students passed the test.
Put not before all to show partial negation clearly.
Wrong
Not every students arrived on time.
Correct
Not every student arrived on time.
Every takes a singular noun, even when the meaning includes many people.
Wrong
Not every answer was correct. = Zero answers were correct.
Correct
Not every answer was correct. = Some answers were correct, but some were not.
Not every is partial. It does not mean none.
Wrong
Not every students passed.
Correct
Not all students passed.
With a plural group noun, use not all. Not every needs a singular noun.
Common misconceptions
❝ Not all means the same as none. ❞
Not all means less than all. Some people or things still match the statement.
❝ Not all and not every use the same noun pattern. ❞
Not all goes with plural nouns; not every goes with singular nouns.
Skills in this rule (4)
NOT_ALL_FOR_PART_OF_A_GROUPw5Use not all to say that part of a group does not match
Use not all + plural noun when some members fit the statement and some do not. It means less than 100%, not zero.
NOT_EVERY_FOR_INDIVIDUAL_ITEMSw5Use not every with a singular noun to say the statement is not true for each item
Use not every + singular noun when the statement fails for some individual members. It means some do, some do not.
CHOOSE_PARTIAL_NOT_ZEROw5Choose not all or not every when the meaning is partial, not zero
Use not all / not every for mixed results. If the result is zero, use no or none instead.
UNDERSTAND_NOT_ALL_VS_NOT_EVERYw4Understand the difference between not all and not every
Not all goes with plural group nouns; not every goes with singular nouns. Both express partial negation, but the noun pattern changes.