Wondering which is correct to use – ‘all is’ or ‘all are’? We’ll help you make the right choice. Plus, you’ll learn how to use the correct one in a sentence.
Need a quick answer? Here it is:
- ‘All are’ is used when you mean ‘all of them.’ You’d say, ‘all of them are.’
- ‘All is’ is used when you mean ‘all of it.’
These terms should not be used interchangeably because they might not be grammatical after the change. So avoid doing that in your writing.
‘All Is vs. ‘All Are’ – Which is Correct?
So, which one is correct to use? We just learned that both might be correct to use in certain cases.
Since ‘all’ is a two-faced word, that means it can be singular or plural.
- ‘All is’ well if you’re telling someone that you’re doing okay
- ‘All are' well if you’re referring to more than one person.
You might also hear people say, ‘all is well with us.’
All of Them ‘Is’ or ‘Are’ – English Grammar
When you’re using the phrase ‘all of them,’ the only word that should come after it is ‘are.’
You wouldn’t say ‘all of them is’ because that wouldn’t be grammatical. Your subject has to agree with your verb.
- You = Are
- I = Am
- All = Is/Are (depends on context)
You can say ‘all is well’ or ‘all of us are well.’
Sometimes you might see it in the following ways:
- all [the eggs] are gone
- all [the ingredients] are in there
- all [that’s left] is
As you can see, using these phrases can be a bit tricky, but with the above information as a guide, you should have no trouble choosing the right words.
Definition of ‘All Is’: What Does ‘All Is’ Mean?
Let's quickly define both phrases so we know how to use them in sentences.
Definition of 'All': What Does 'All' Mean?
The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘all’ is:
- The whole amount, quantity, or extent of.
It could also mean:
- As much as possible
- Every member or an individual component of
- The whole number or sum of
- Every
- Any whatever
- Nothing but (only)
- Completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by
- Having or seeming to have (some physical feature) in secret excess or prominence
- Paying full attention with
- Used up: entirely consumed (used especially for food and drink)
- Being more than one person or thing
- Wholly, quite
- Selected as the best (as at a sport) within an area organization
- Only/exclusively
- Just
- So much
- Apiece
- Totality
- Everybody/everything
- The whole of one’s possessions, resources, or energy
Definition of 'Is': What Does 'Is' Mean?
The definition of ‘is’ is:
- Present tense-third person singular of ‘be.’
Definition of ‘All Are’: What Does ‘All Are’ Mean?
The same dictionary defines ‘are’ as:
- present tense second-person singular and present tense plural of the verb ‘be.’
- It could also mean a unit of area equal to 100 square meters.
Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘All Is’ and ‘All Are’
Are you wondering how to pronounce these phrases?
Here’s a short guide.
To pronounce ‘all is’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:
Awl Iz
To pronounce ‘all are’ correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:
Awl ah
How to Use ‘All Is’ in a Sentence
Now that we know what both phrases mean and the difference between them when it comes to usage, let’s look at some examples of how to use them in sentences.
All Is
- I hope all is well with you and the family. I haven’t heard a thing from you since Jim’s funeral. How are you holding up?
- All is well with me. I’ve just been dealing with the drama at the country club. Two of my friends are in a bit of a feud, and I don’t know whose side to take. But enough about me. How have you been?
- Were you ever going to ask if all is well with us? It seems like you stopped caring about us all of a sudden.
- All that’s left is a bunch of junk in the freezer. We’re going to dump it and get rid of this one so we can make room for the new one.
All Are
- All of us are going to the movie theater after work. Do you want to tag along? We’re going to see the new Marvel movie.
- I’m so grateful all of us are here to celebrate dad’s birthday. It’s been such a long time since we were all in the same place together. Jen would have loved this.
- All of us are tired of you flaking on us all the time. You need to figure out whether you really want to be in our social circle, or if you’re simply too busy for us.
- How are all of us so different? We come from the same two parents, but we all have different careers and live in different parts of the world. We also have different parenting styles, strangely.
Concluding Advice on ‘All Is’ and ‘All Are’
To recap, we learned the following:
- ‘All are’ is used when you mean ‘all of them.’ You’d say, ‘all of them are.’
- ‘All is’ is used when you mean ‘all of it.’
These terms should not be used interchangeably because they might not be grammatical after the change. So avoid doing that in your writing.
If you ever get stuck on anything, feel free to come back to review what you learned. We’ve got a whole library of content on confusing words and phrases you might see as you’re learning the language. Feel free to check it out whenever you need to.
