Each Is or Each Are? Fix This Common Mistake Now

Every English learner eventually stalls on one small word that causes big confusion: each. Is it each is or each are? This guide settles the question with clear rules, real examples, and simple tables so you never second guess your sentence again.

Grammar mistakes like this one are common because plural nouns often sit right next to each, tricking the ear into expecting a plural verb. By the end of this article, you will know exactly why each always pairs with a singular verb, and how to apply that rule confidently in speech and writing.

Understanding What “Each” Really Means in American English

Each is a distributive pronoun and determiner that refers to every individual member of a group, one at a time rather than as a whole unit. Because it isolates single items, English grammar treats each as singular, no matter how many people or things it describes.

Key points

• Each is classified as a singular indefinite pronoun.
• It can function as a subject, an object, or a determiner before a noun.
• Each always signals individual attention, not group action.
• The verb that follows each must agree with that singular meaning.
• Native speakers sometimes break this rule casually, but formal grammar does not allow it.

Mini Example

Consider the sentence: “Each student is responsible for their own laptop.” Even though “student” belongs to a larger class of many students, each pulls attention to one student at a time, so the verb stays singular: is, not are.

Why “Each Is” Is Grammatically Correct

Each is is correct because each functions as a singular subject in every context, so subject-verb agreement requires a singular verb like is, has, or does. This rule holds true regardless of any plural noun that appears nearby in the sentence.

Standard grammar guides agree that once each becomes the subject of a clause, the verb must match its singular identity rather than the identity of a nearby noun phrase. That is why sentences like “Each is welcome” or “Each of them is invited” are considered correct in formal American English.

Why the grammar rule is strict

English grammar relies on subject-verb agreement to keep meaning clear. Because each always means “every one separately,” allowing a plural verb would blur that meaning and suggest a group action instead of individual action. Grammar authorities and style guides treat this as a fixed rule, not a flexible option, in academic writing, business communication, and published journalism.

Why “Each Are” Sounds Wrong in Standard English

Each are is considered incorrect in standard English because each is grammatically singular, so pairing it with the plural verb are breaks basic subject-verb agreement. Native speakers may say it casually, but formal grammar rejects this pairing.

Why do people make this mistake?

People often say each are because a plural noun appears close to each, and the ear naturally wants the nearest noun to control the verb. This is a proximity error, where the word closest to the verb influences agreement instead of the true grammatical subject.

Example

❌ Each of the workers are trained properly. ✔️ Each of the workers is trained properly.

The subject of that sentence is each, not workers, so the singular verb is stays correct even though workers is plural.

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“Each” with Singular and Plural Nouns

Each can appear directly before a singular noun or before a plural noun using the structure each of. In both patterns, standard grammar still calls for a singular verb because each remains the true subject of the sentence.

Pattern 1: Each + Singular Noun

In this pattern, each sits directly in front of one singular noun, as in “each book,” “each employee,” or “each answer.” This is the simplest structure and rarely confuses writers because the singular noun visually matches the singular verb.

Pattern 2: Each of + Plural Noun

Here, each is followed by “of” and then a plural noun, such as “each of the students” or “each of the cars.” This pattern causes more mistakes because the plural noun sits closer to the verb, but the grammatical subject is still each, so the verb remains singular.

Pattern	Example	Verb Form
Each + singular noun	Each employee works hard	Singular (works)
Each of + plural noun	Each of the employees works hard	Singular (works)
Each + plural noun (informal)	Each employees work hard	Incorrect structure

Why do these take singular verbs?

Both patterns treat each as the controlling subject rather than the noun that follows it. A quotable grammar fact: subject-verb agreement in English is determined by the grammatical subject, not by the noun located nearest to the verb.

“Each Of”: Singular or Plural?

Each of is always followed by a singular verb because the phrase “of the [plural noun]” only describes which group each belongs to, without changing the fact that each itself is singular. This holds true in every standard grammar reference.

Why does “each of” still need a singular verb?

The words “of the” simply add context about which group is being discussed. The actual subject controlling the verb remains each, so writers should ignore the plural noun that follows “of” when choosing a verb form.

Examples with correct verbs

• Each of the answers is correct.
• Each of the applicants has submitted a resume.
• Each of the rooms was cleaned this morning.
• Each of the choices seems reasonable.

What about pronouns?

Pronouns following each of should typically stay singular in formal writing, as in “each of the students knows his or her schedule.” However, many modern style guides now accept the singular they for gender-neutral writing, as in “each of the students knows their schedule,” even though the verb attached to each still stays singular.

Using “Each” with Collective and Group Nouns

When each appears with a collective noun like team, staff, or committee, the verb still stays singular because each isolates individual members of that collective group rather than treating it as one unit.

Why not plural?

A collective noun like team can sometimes take a plural verb on its own in British English, but adding each in front always forces singular agreement. This is because each overrides the collective meaning and shifts focus back to individual members.

Advanced example

“Each member of the committee has a vote” is correct because each, not committee, is the grammatical subject. A useful definition to remember: when each precedes a collective noun, the sentence always describes individual members acting separately, never the group acting as a whole.

Informal Speech vs Formal Writing

In casual conversation, many English speakers use each are without noticing the error, especially in fast speech where grammatical precision often gets relaxed for natural rhythm.

But in writing?

Formal writing, including academic papers, legal contracts, business emails, and journalism, requires strict subject-verb agreement. Editors and style guides consistently mark each are as an error that needs correction to each is.

Practical rule

If you are unsure which verb to use, mentally replace each with “every one,” since both phrases require the same singular verb form. This simple substitution test works reliably in nearly every sentence involving each.

American vs British Tendencies

American English and British English generally agree that each takes a singular verb, but British English shows slightly more flexibility with collective nouns overall. This difference rarely affects each directly, since both dialects treat each as singular in standard usage.

Feature	American English	British English
Each + verb	Always singular	Always singular
Collective nouns alone	Usually singular	Often plural
Each of + collective noun	Singular	Singular
Formality expectation	Strict in writing	Strict in writing

“Each” with Pronouns and Modern Language

Modern English increasingly pairs each with the singular they to avoid assuming gender, as in “each employee should bring their badge.” This usage has become widely accepted in style guides, including major dictionaries and journalism manuals.

Why this works

Each still controls a singular verb, but the pronoun that follows can be plural in form while remaining grammatically accepted for gender-neutral reference. A clear definition: singular they is a pronoun used to refer to one person of unspecified or nonbinary gender, and it now pairs comfortably with each in contemporary writing.

Examples

• Each guest should bring their own ticket.
• Each participant must submit their form by Friday.
• Each winner will receive their prize at the ceremony.

Relative Clauses with “Each”

Each frequently appears inside relative clauses that begin with who, whom, or that, and the verb inside that clause must still agree with each rather than any surrounding plural noun.

Common structures

Typical patterns include “each of the students, who is studying hard” or “each employee, who works remotely.” The relative pronoun refers back to each, keeping the clause singular.

Key rule

Inside a relative clause attached to each, the verb must remain singular because the antecedent, each, is singular by definition.

When to use “whom”

Use whom when the pronoun functions as an object within the relative clause, such as “each of the candidates, whom we interviewed yesterday.”

When to use “who”

Use who when the pronoun functions as the subject of the relative clause, such as “each of the candidates who was interviewed yesterday.”

Real Examples from Literature and Media

Published writing consistently favors each is over each are because editors enforce standard subject-verb agreement. Formal reports, contracts, and edited fiction rely on constructions such as “each character is developed carefully” or “each scene is written with purpose,” reflecting the same singular rule found in grammar guides. News writing follows an identical pattern, often stating that each policy is reviewed individually or each candidate is evaluated on separate merit, reinforcing that professional editors treat this rule as non negotiable across genres.

Classic novels reinforce the same pattern. A sentence describing a group of characters, such as “each of the sisters is well mannered,” follows the traditional rule even though the surrounding paragraph may describe several sisters at once. Academic journals and legal documents show the same consistency, since precise agreement protects clarity in contracts, research papers, and instructions where ambiguity could cause real problems. Screenwriters and journalists follow this pattern too, because broadcast style guides generally mirror the same subject-verb agreement rules taught in schools. This consistency across genres, from nineteenth century fiction to modern news reporting, shows that each is has remained the accepted standard for centuries rather than a recent invention of strict grammarians.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Matching the verb to the plural noun

Writers often match the verb to a nearby plural noun instead of each. Fix this by identifying the true subject before choosing a verb.

Mistake 2: Thinking “each” and “all” follow the same rules

All can take a plural verb because it refers to a group collectively, while each always refers to individual members, so the two words follow different agreement rules entirely.

Mistake 3: Overthinking long sentences

In long sentences, writers lose track of the subject. Reread the sentence and locate each specifically before deciding on the verb form.

Mistake 4: Using plural verbs because it “sounds natural” in speech

Spoken rhythm often favors each are, but sound alone should never override grammar rules in written English.

Mistake 5: Confusion with “every,” “any,” and “either”

Every, any, and either behave similarly to each and also require singular verbs in most standard constructions, so confusing their rules with plural words like both or some leads to frequent errors.

Quick Reference: When to Use “Each Is”

Situation	Correct Form	Example
Each + singular noun	is	Each answer is correct
Each of + plural noun	is	Each of the answers is correct
Each + collective noun	is	Each team is competing
Each in relative clause	is	Each student who is present
Each with pronoun	their (pronoun), singular verb	Each person brought their bag

Each of them has or have

Each of them has is the grammatically correct form because each remains a singular subject, and them simply identifies the group each refers to. Each of them have is considered incorrect in standard English grammar, even though it appears often in casual speech and social media writing.

Conclusion

Choosing between each is and each are comes down to one reliable rule: each always functions as a singular subject, so it always pairs with a singular verb, regardless of any plural noun nearby. Once you internalize this pattern, sentences like each of the students is ready or each employee has a badge become automatic rather than confusing.

Keep this guide handy whenever you write reports, emails, or essays that use each. With consistent practice, correct subject-verb agreement becomes second nature, helping your writing sound polished, professional, and grammatically confident in any American English context.