Each Two / Every Two?

Only the second version is correct.

Thanks for the prompt reply. Can you tell me why - other than it sounds better?

I'm dealing with a document that uses the formulation "each two employees" throughout, and I want to change it to "every two employees," but it would be good to have a reason other than it sounds better, if there is one.

Bluestocking
One parking space is required for each 2 employees. OR

One parking space is provided for every 2 employees.

Both correct?

Hi Bluestocking,

Welcome to the forum. Grammatically, the first sentence is not wrong but the context paints a confusing picture because of the verb “provided” which to me is the wrong verb to the context. “ Required” and “provide” offer different meaning to the same sentence. If you were to say “A valid parking permit is required for each resident” then it is correct.

# 2 One parking space is provided for every 2 employees. – "provided" is used in passive voice, meanig the the comany offers one parking space for every two employees to share. This is fine.

Provide – to offer, or to give

Require – to ask, demand.

Each new employee will be provided with a two-week vacation and all national holidays as benefit, granted he is required to fulfill a 30-day probationary period.

Hope that helps answer yoru question...

I didn't even notice the required/provided part . Which word you use here changes the meaning completely.

Thanks, Goodman. It did help, but I see I complicated the question unnecessarily. (I didn't even notice I used "required" in one example and "provided" in another.) The actual usage is in a chart of parking spaces required by law for various types of businesses.

In every case, the writer used the word each to describe the number of persons or things that share a single parking space:

"1 for each 1,000 square feet of floor area, plus 1 for each employee"

"2 for each dwelling unit"

"1 for each 6 seats in principal auditorium, plus 1 per chapel room or parlor, or 1 for each 50 square feet of rooms used for services, whichever is greater"

It's a lengthy chart, and I'm reluctant to change all these "eachs" to "everys" without a supporting rule of grammar. If it's a matter of personal preference, then I think I have to go with the preference of whatever attorney or "law-maker" who drafted this thing.

Well, that's actually a fine point too, isn't it? If the point is that the parking spaces are required by law, it would come to the same thing... one space being required (by law) for every two employees. [or each two if this writer has his way]... or one space being provided (because it's required by law) for every two employees.

I am glad I could help! I completely agree. When it comes to a matter of rules and regulations, the language and the words are extremely sensitive to the legality of the concerned matters. That’s the reason I went to the extra length for the explanation.

Thanks, again. I'm just sorry you guys couldn't quote me a rule that will make me feel comfortable about changing all these usages to "every" which we three agree sounds better!! Attorneys (at least a lot of the ones I've come across in the US) are not necessarily good grammarians. This particular writer was so unrelentingly consistent using "each" that I know it wasn't just sloppiness. If I found even one inconsistency, I'd change them all!!

Great forum, this.