Hey!! This weeks tip is.....
Each vs. Both
So I know the difference may seem obvious to some, but I have read a lot of stories where the two are often mixed up. Plus, on some occasions the correct option can be unclear.
So, each is singular. It refers to EACH singular object within some sort of group.
ex) 'Each child within the school received the vaccine.'
Both is plural, and is also strictly for two objects. If there are three people going to the mall, you would not say that both of you went.
ex) 'John and Suzzie both love ice cream'
Now the confusing part is, if you have two people. Can you use each or both? Well yes, you can. Normally if you are simply talking about two things, both is more appropriate. However, each can be used for clarification.
For example, if someone were to say 'he gave both his daughters a dog', what would it mean? Did he give one dog for the two of them to share? Or were there two dogs, one for each daughter? A better way of phrasing this would be 'he gave each of his daughters a dog', implying that there are two separate dogs for the two separate daughters.
I hope this wasn't too confusing and helped you out! Let me know if you have questions, I tried to keep this as short and concise as I could without losing information!
