What is the Difference between Each other and One another?
From a grammatical perspective, ‘each other’ and ‘one another’ essentially have the same meaning – they are used to show that each member of a group does something for/to the other. For example, the sentence, ‘Jim and Janet like each other’ implies that Jim likes Janet and Janet likes Jim.
In this article, we shall explore more differences between each other and one another.
Table of Contents
- Table Summarising the Difference between Each Other and One Another
- The Meanings of One Another and Each Other
- Examples for Each Other and One Another
- One Another vs. Each Other – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between Each Other and One Another:
| Each other | One another | |
| Usage | ‘Each other’ and ‘one another’ are called reciprocal pronouns and are used as such. In other words, these types of pronouns are used to indicate that two or more people have carried out some type of action, where all parties involved received the consequences or benefits of that action. | |
| ‘Each other’ is less formal, and is used more. | ‘One another’ is more formal, and is used less in comparison. | |
| This is more applicable when talking about only two people (or things). | Using ‘one another’ is more relevant when there are more than two people (or things). | |
The Meanings of Each Other and One Another
The difference between one another and each other is very subtle, but as discussed above, usage can depend on context – such as the number of people or things involved, for example, you can say, ‘Peter and Jane hate each other.’
Examples for One Another and Each Other:
We shall explore some examples:
- Each other: They are very fond of each other.
- One another: We have to try to help one another.
Each Other vs. One Another – Conclusion
English grammar is, at the very least, useful for effective communication. In this article, we learnt the subtle difference between each other and one another, their usage, and relevant examples. To explore other important English Differences Between articles, register with BYJU’S English.
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