# all

/ˈɔɫ/ (US) · /ˈɔːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/all
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. every part or member

determiner · CEFR A1

every person or thing in a group, with no one or nothing left out.

For teachers: denoting the entire number or amount of a group or class; functions as a predeterminer before articles or possessives.

- All the students in the class passed the final exam.
- All the evidence gathered by the investigators suggests that the fire was started by a faulty electrical circuit in the basement.

Usage: Used before plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns.

### 2. the whole period

determiner · CEFR A1

during the whole time of a specific period.

For teachers: referring to the entire duration of a stated period, typically used with units of time like day, week, or year.

- It rained all day, so we stayed inside and watched movies.
- The team worked all night to ensure the software update was ready for the morning launch.

Usage: Usually placed before the time noun without an article, such as 'all day' or 'all night'.

### 3. everything or everyone

pronoun · CEFR A1

everyone in a group or everything that exists in a situation.

For teachers: representing the whole number of people or things previously mentioned or understood from context.

- The cake was delicious, and soon it was all gone.
- Although many were invited to the gala, all were required to present their credentials at the main entrance.

Usage: Can be followed by 'of' before pronouns, like 'all of us'.

### 4. the only thing

pronoun · CEFR B1

the only thing that is important or the only thing someone wants.

For teachers: used to specify the sole requirement, action, or object in a given context.

- All I want for my birthday is a new pair of running shoes.
- All the manager asked for was a brief summary of the weekly sales figures before the board meeting began.

Usage: Often used as the subject of a sentence followed by 'is' or 'was'.

### 5. completely

adverb · CEFR B1 · Informal

completely or totally.

For teachers: functioning as an intensifier meaning wholly or entirely.

- He was all alone in the big house after his roommates left.
- The children were all excited about the trip, their faces pressed against the bus windows as they departed.

Usage: Often used before adjectives or prepositions.

### 6. each in a score

adverb · CEFR B1

used in sports to say that both teams or players have the same score.

For teachers: denoting an equal score for each side in a game or competition.

- At halftime, the score was two-all.
- The match concluded at three-all, forcing the teams into a penalty shootout to determine the winner of the trophy.

Usage: Placed after the number of the score.

### 7. one's best effort

noun · CEFR B2

everything you are able to do; your greatest effort.

For teachers: the totality of one's strength, resources, or abilities applied to a task.

- She gave her all during the race and finished in first place.
- The athletes were exhausted after the marathon, having given their all on the challenging uphill course.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'to give one's all'.

## Examples

- All the lights are on in the house.
- She spent all her money on a new coat for the winter.
- For all his claims of expertise, he was unable to solve the fundamental problem that had stumped generations of scholars before him.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.