I don’t think we need to spend too long on the basic grammar patterns with ALL.
It can be used with plurals and uncountable nouns
- All the children were invited to a big party.
- All sugar drinks rot your teeth.
- All (of) the cats have been taken to the vet.
- Thank you for all (of) your help.
ALL plus THE/THIS/MY etc. can be used with singular nouns.
- I have read all the book.
- Did you eat all your lunch?
- I can’t finish all this work today.
ALL is also used to qualify adjectives, adverbs and prepositions
- The children are all excited.
- There is dirt all over the house.
- They shouted all excitedly.
AT ALL means in any way or of any kind. It is often used in negative sentences.
- Is there anything at all to do here in the winter months?
- I am not at all happy to find out about that.
FOR ALL can mean despite.
- For all his faults, I still quite like him.
FOR ALL I KNOW/CARE suggests that you are not concerned about something or someone.
- For all I know, she could be living in Paraguay.
- For all I care, the dollar could lose half its value.
FIRST OF ALL is an expression used to emphasise the start of a speech or presentation
- First of all, I would like to thank our hosts for this splendid evening.
- First of all, we need to look at the economic impact.
AFTER ALL means that we have reconsidered our options.
- We decided to take the later train after all. We needed extra time to pack.
ALL IN ALL is used to sum up.
- All in all, it has been a very successful meeting.
BY ALL MEANS is a way of giving permission
- By all means, leave early today. You have been working so hard.
ALL ALONG means all the time.
- I knew he couldn’t be trusted all along.
To GET AWAY FROM IT ALL means to go somewhere to escape from your usual routine
- I visit a remote island in Scotland when I need to get away from it all.
IF IT’S ALL THE SAME TO YOU is used to mean if it makes no difference/doesn’t offend.
- Thank you for inviting me to stay with you but if it is all the same to you I would prefer to stay in a hotel in the center of the city so that I can explore a bit.
ONCE AND FOR ALL means for one final time.
- I am telling you once and for all. We are not going to agree to that.
To be ALL FOR DOING IT means that you are strongly in favor.
- I am all for rejecting their offer. It is not good enough.
If it is ALL IN YOUR MIND, you are imagining something.
- His doctor told him that he wasn’t really ill and it was all in his mind.
ALL YEAR ROUND means all the year.
- The resort is open all year round, skiing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer.
ALL OF A SUDDEN means immediately, without warning
- All of a sudden, the speaker fainted and fell to the floor.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE is used to sum up a discussion and to point out the most important point.
- When all is said and done, we cannot afford to sell at a price that is lower than our cost price.
