Understanding “All” in English, Definition, Usage, and Examples

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Learn the different ways “all” is used in English and its rules of use. Find examples and practical sentences to help you master this versatile word.

Use All in a Sentence - How to use "All" in a sentence

Definition of All

“All” is a word that means the entirety or the whole of something, without exception or exclusion. It can refer to a complete set or collection of objects, people, or concepts. When used in a statement or question, “all” implies that no exceptions or exclusions exist and that the statement or question applies to everything or everyone being referred to. For example, “All the students in the class passed the exam” means that every student in the class passed the exam, without exception.

How is “All” used in English? What are the rules of use of “All”?

“All” is a versatile word in English that can be used in different ways. Here are some of the most common ways “all” is used and the rules of use:

  1. As a determiner: “All” is used as a determiner to refer to the entire quantity or extent of something. For example:
  • All the books on the shelf are mine.
  • All the people in the room were talking at the same time.

In this use, “all” is followed by a noun and can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.

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  1. As a pronoun: “All” can also be used as a pronoun to replace a noun that has already been mentioned. For example:
  • I ate all the cookies. (instead of saying “I ate all the cookies on the plate”)
  • She took all the credit for the project. (instead of saying “She took all the credit for the work on the project”)
  1. As an adverb: “All” can also be used as an adverb to emphasize the extent of something. For example:
  • The restaurant was all booked up for the weekend.
  • He was all alone in the deserted city.

In this use, “all” is usually followed by an adjective, adverb, or past participle.

  1. In idiomatic expressions: “All” is also used in many idiomatic expressions, such as:
  • All in all: to sum up or to consider everything
  • All of a sudden: suddenly, unexpectedly
  • All talk and no action: someone who talks a lot but does nothing

In these expressions, “all” has a specific meaning that may not be related to its usual meaning of “entire” or “whole.”

Overall, the rules of use for “all” depend on the context and how it is being used in a sentence or expression. However, in general, “all” is used to indicate the entirety or whole of something, without exception or exclusion.

How to use the word All in a sentence?

Here are some examples of how to use the word “all” in a sentence:

  1. All the students in the class passed the exam.
  2. He ate all the pizza by himself.
  3. I was all wet after getting caught in the rain.
  4. She gave me all her money to help me pay my bills.
  5. All of a sudden, the lights went out.
  6. All in all, it was a great vacation.
  7. I’m tired of his all talk and no action attitude.
  8. All of the houses on this street are for sale.
  9. She knows all about the history of this town.
  10. I’ve done all I can to help you, but you still need to do your part.

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