each of whom

USAGE SUMMARY

'each of whom' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a group of people. For example, "The wedding guests included several of the bride's family members, each of whom gave a toast during the ceremony."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

(Each of whom was named Louise).

The New Yorker

The Knicks' starting forwards, each of whom had struggled recently, found an early rhythm.

The New York Times - Sports

He meets with trusted specialists, each of whom has his own focus: shrimp, eel, octopus.

The New Yorker

They led Sergio García, Billy Mayfair, Ken Duke and Sean O'Hair, each of whom shot 69.

The New York Times - Sports

Patrick becomes involved with two women, each of whom is involved with another man.

The Guardian - Books

The Academy includes more than 6,000 people, each of whom is a member for life.

The Guardian - Film

He also had written evidence from the biological parents, each of whom was represented by lawyers.

The New York Times

-- with six women, each of whom gives birth to one of Lix's children.

The New York Times - Books

The club was established by three sisters, each of whom asked one of their friends.

The Guardian

She ended up with four interns, each of whom earned college credits for working with her.

The New York Times

I counted eight solitary fishermen, each of whom had carved out a space among the reeds.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "each of whom" to clearly indicate that you are referring to individual members of a previously mentioned group, ensuring each member is being considered separately.

Common error

Avoid using "each of whom" when referring to a singular subject or a group that isn't clearly defined. It's designed for scenarios where you've already introduced a group and want to specify something about each individual within it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "each of whom" functions as a relative pronoun construction, introducing a relative clause that provides additional information about each individual within a previously mentioned group. It specifies details applicable to every member separately. Ludwig confirms this usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Encyclopedias

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "each of whom" is a grammatically sound relative clause construction used to provide individual details about members of a previously mentioned group. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English, predominantly found in news and media sources, and functions to elaborate on individual characteristics within a collective. While alternatives like "every one of whom" or restructuring the sentence exist, "each of whom" offers a concise way to convey specific information about each member. When using "each of whom", make sure you are referring to a previously mentioned group.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every one of whom

Emphasizes individual consideration within a group, closely mirroring the original phrase's focus.

each member of whom

Replaces 'of whom' with a more descriptive noun, clarifying the group's composition.

each one of which

Shifts the focus from people to things, maintaining the distributive aspect of the original phrase.

all of whom

Indicates the entire group shares a characteristic, differing slightly by removing the individual emphasis.

each one from among whom

Offers a slightly more descriptive version, good when specifying from where the individuals are selected.

every person who

Breaks down the phrase into simpler terms, losing some of the original's conciseness.

each individual who

Highlights the individuality of each member, adding emphasis but also length.

individuals, all of whom

Splits the sentence for clarity, emphasizing the characteristic shared by all the individuals.

respectively

Implies a one-to-one correspondence, suitable in contexts where distinct actions or attributes apply to each member.

each and every one

Intensifies the focus on each member of the group, adding redundancy for emphasis.

FAQs

How to use "each of whom" in a sentence?

Use "each of whom" after introducing a group of people to provide additional information about each individual within that group. For example: "The team consists of five members, "each of whom" brings unique skills."

What can I say instead of "each of whom"?

You can use alternatives like "every one of whom", "all of whom", or "each member" depending on the context.

Is "each of whom" formal or informal?

"Each of whom" is generally considered a formal phrase and is more appropriate for academic, professional, or journalistic writing. In informal settings, simpler constructions might be preferred.

What's the difference between "each of whom" and "all of whom"?

"Each of whom" emphasizes the individual characteristics or actions of each member within a group, while "all of whom" refers to the entire group collectively. "The students, "each of whom" submitted an essay, demonstrated their understanding." (individual focus) vs. "The students, "all of whom" passed the exam, celebrated their success." (group focus).