all
gb/ˈɔl/ us/ˈɔl/
A1
English
~ 200
Senses
0 senses
determiner
A1
relation
1
every person or thing in a group
Used to mean every person or thing, or the whole of something.
Usage pattern:
all [plural noun] / all the [uncountable noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'all' with 'whole'. 'All' is used with plural or uncountable nouns, while 'whole' is used with singular countable nouns.
Synonyms
every (Focuses on each individual item separately rather than the group as a whole.)
|
entire (Often used for a single thing considered as a whole rather than multiple items.)
Antonyms
some (Refers to only part of a group or quantity, not the whole.)
|
none (Means not any, the opposite of including everything.)
Collocations
all the time
|all day
|all people
|all parts
|all over
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- All students must submit their assignments by Friday.
- She spent all her money on clothes.
- All the cookies were gone before dinner.
Learner examples
- All my friends are here.
- I ate all the cake.
- All the books are on the table.
pronoun
A1
entity
2
everyone or everything
Means everyone or everything in a group.
Usage pattern:
All [verb phrase]
Synonyms
everyone (Specifically refers to people, not things.)
|
everything (Refers to objects, events, or situations rather than people.)
Antonyms
none (Indicates no one or nothing from the group.)
Collocations
all are welcome
|all have gone
|all is lost
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- All are invited to the meeting.
- All was quiet after the storm.
- They all agreed with the decision.
Learner examples
- All are here now.
- All is fine.
- They all like pizza.
adverb
A2
property
3
completely or entirely
Completely or totally.
Usage pattern:
be all [adjective] / all [past participle]
Synonyms
totally (More informal emphasis, often spoken.)
|
completely (Very close in meaning, slightly more formal.)
Antonyms
partly (Means only partly, not fully.)
|
incompletely (Means not completely done or finished.)
Collocations
all alone
|all wet
|all finished
Themes
communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He was all tired after the long run.
- The house was all decorated for the party.
- She’s all dressed up for the wedding.
Learner examples
- I am all ready now.
- The room is all clean.
- He is all wet from the rain.
Grammar
Dictionary form
all
IPA
GB/ˈɔl/
US/ˈɔl/
Syllables & stress
all (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (all)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: all
- Plural: alls
Word family
Forms
alls
noun
Core family
always
adverb A1
Related words
altogether
adverb B1
overall
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
none
pronoun A2
Expressions
all along
1/ˈɔl əlˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
from the start until now
For the whole time from the beginning until now.
Examples
- I knew it was a mistake all along.
- She had been planning it all along.
all in all
1/ˈɔl ˈɪn ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
considering everything together
Used to say that you are considering everything before giving an opinion.
Examples
- All in all, it was a good trip.
- All in all, I think we did well.
for all I know
1/fɚ ˈɔl ˈaɪ nˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
expressing uncertainty about something
Used to say you are not sure about something.
Examples
- He might be lying, for all I know.
- For all I know, she could be at home.
for all I know
2/fɚ ˈɔl ˈaɪ nˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
admitting uncertainty about something
You say this when you do not know if something is true or not.
Examples
- For all I know, he could be lying.
- She might have already left, for all I know.
once and for all
1/wˈʌns ˈænd fɚ ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
finally and completely ending something
To do something one final time so it is finished forever.
Examples
- Let’s settle this once and for all.
- He quit smoking once and for all.
once and for all
2/wˈʌns ˈænd fɚ ˈɔl/
fixed phrase
Finally and completely ending something
To do something so it will never need to be done again.
Examples
- Let's settle this argument once and for all.
- He fixed the problem once and for all by replacing the whole system.
all of a sudden
1/ˈɔl əv ə sˈʌdən/
fixed phrase
Very quickly and unexpectedly
Happening very fast and with no warning.
Examples
- All of a sudden, the dog started barking loudly.
- All of a sudden, the lights went out.
- We were talking when, all of a sudden, the lights went out.
- We were walking when, all of a sudden, it started to rain.
all of a sudden
2/ˈɔl əv ə sˈʌdən/
fixed phrase
suddenly and unexpectedly
Happening quickly without warning.
Examples
- All of a sudden, it started to rain.
- All of a sudden, the lights went out.