Distributive Adjectives restrict the application of a noun by showing that the persons or things denoted by the noun are taken singly or in separate lots.
There are four Adjectives of this class : each, every, either, neither
EACH :
This means one of two things or one of any number exceeding two.
1. The twenty men had each a gun.
2. All the students brought each a water-bottle.
EVERY :
This is never used for one of two, but always for some number exceeding two.
1. Every man (out of the twenty present) had a gun.
2. Every student brought a water-bottle.
Every six hours….
Every human being….
Every tenth student…
This means every period or space of six hours.
1. He came every five hours (=at the close of every space of five hours).
2. They made a phone-call every three minutes.
EVERY OTHER :
This means every alternate…
1. The doctor called to see him every other day.
EITHER :
This has two meanings.
(1) one of two
(2) each of two…that is both.
(i) You can take either side…that is, one side or the other.
(ii) The river overflowed on either side….that is, on both sides.
But the use of EITHER is restricted to things that are complementary or where one implies the existence of the other.
1. either side
2. either end
3. either hand
We cannot say…
1. Either car was damaged in the collision. (WRONG)
2. Every car was damaged in the collision. (RIGHT)
3. Either driver was injured. (WRONG)
4. Every driver was injured. (RIGHT)
Here we must use both.
NEITHER :
This is the negative of EITHER and signifies NEITHER THE ONE NOR THE OTHER.
1. You should take neither side.
That is…neither this side nor that (or) neither the one side nor the other.
EACH OTHER & ONE ANOTHER :
In these phrases we have a Distributive Adjective (each = one) combined with an
Indefinite Demonstrative Adjective (other or another).
EACH OTHER is used when two persons or things are concerned.
2. The two men struck each other (that is…each man struck the other man).
3. They killed each other.
4. The boys discussed with each other.
5. The teachers helped each other.
ONE ANOTHER is used when more than two persons or things are concerned.
1. They all loved one another (that is….each person loved every other person).
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