any and every: the difference

Any and every can both be used to talk in general about all the members of a class or group.

• Any/Every child can learn to swim.

The meaning is not quite the same. Any looks at things one at a time: it means ‘whichever one you choose’. Every looks at things together: its meaning is closer to ‘all’. Compare:

• ‘Which newspaper would you like?’ ‘It doesn’t matter. Any one.’ (= one or another or another) (not … Every one.)
• On the stand there were newspapers and magazines of every kind. (= one and another and another) (not … magazines of any kind.)

note

For more information about any, (see here).

For every, (see here).