Each Other Are vs. Each Other Is – Which is Correct?

The choice depends on the subject, not on each other. Use are with a plural subject: “The sisters are helping each other.” Use is with a singular subject: “Each sister is helping the others.” Because each other functions as an object, “each other are” and “each other is” are incorrect.

For a related spelling distinction, compare Eachother vs. Each Other before applying the agreement rule.

Each Other: Are or Is—Which Is Correct?

In standard English, each other is a reciprocal pronoun phrase. It usually acts as the object of a verb, so the verb must agree with the subject that comes before it.

Use are when the subject is plural:

“The two neighbors are helping each other.”

Use is when the subject is singular:

“Each neighbor is helping the other.”

Neither each other are nor each other is is normally correct when each other appears as the subject. The correct structure is generally a plural subject + are + each other.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Use the subject-first test: find the person, people, or thing performing the action, and make the verb agree with that subject. Ignore each other when choosing between is and are.

For example, in “The players are congratulating each other,” the subject is players, which is plural, so the correct verb is are. In “Each player is congratulating the others,” the subject is each player, which is singular, so the correct verb is is.

Word or phrase	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
each other	Reciprocal pronoun phrase	One another; mutually	The classmates respect each other.
are	Present-tense form of “be”	Used with plural subjects and “you”	The teams are supporting each other.
is	Present-tense form of “be”	Used with singular third-person subjects	Each student is helping the others.

How to Use “Are” with Each Other

Use are when the subject is plural. In sentences containing each other, the phrase commonly follows the verb as its object. The construction is neutral and works in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing.

Example 1: The two companies are competing with each other.

Example 2: The children are teaching each other new games.

Example 3: We are sending each other regular updates.

What are the different forms of “Are”?

Are is one present-tense form of the irregular verb be. It is used with plural subjects, the pronoun you, and the pronoun we. The other present-tense forms are am and is. The past-tense forms are was and were, while the past participle is been.

• I am
• You are
• He, she, or it is
• We are
• They are

Etymology of the Word “Are”

Are comes from Old English forms of the verb be. Its history is connected to several ancient Germanic verb forms that eventually combined into the modern English verb be. The different forms of be preserve this verb’s unusually complex historical development.

How to Use “Is” with Each Other

Use is with a singular third-person subject. However, when expressing a reciprocal action, a singular subject normally pairs with the other or the others, not each other as the subject of the sentence.

Example 1: Each member is responsible for helping the others.

Example 2: One partner is listening while the other is speaking.

Example 3: The individual is comparing the two photographs with each other.

The third example uses each other as an object of the preposition with. The subject is the individual, so is is correct.

What are the different forms of “Is”?

Is is the third-person singular present-tense form of be. It is used with he, she, it, singular nouns, and singular noun phrases such as each student or the manager.

• Present: is
• Past: was
• Past participle: been
• Present participle: being

Etymology of the Word “Is”

Is developed from ancient Germanic forms related to existence and identity. It is historically connected to forms found in several other Indo-European languages. Like are, it is now part of the irregular English verb be.

Related Concepts

Understanding reciprocal pronouns and subject–verb agreement makes it easier to choose between is and are in sentences with each other.

• Reciprocal pronouns: Each other and one another describe actions or feelings shared between two or more people or things. They usually function as objects, as in “The teammates encouraged each other.”
• Subject–verb agreement: A verb must match its subject in number. Singular subjects generally take is, while plural subjects generally take are.
• Each versus each other: Each often introduces a singular idea, as in “Each player is ready.” Each other expresses a mutual relationship, as in “The players support each other.”
• The other and the others: Use the other for one remaining person or thing and the others for multiple remaining people or things. For example, “One sister is reading, and the other is writing.”

Examples from Media and Literature

Reciprocal expressions appear frequently in fiction, film dialogue, journalism, and everyday reporting. The following examples show how the correct verb is selected according to the subject:

• Fiction: “The two detectives are questioning each other.” The plural subject detectives requires are.
• Film dialogue: “We are always looking out for each other.” The subject we requires are.
• News reporting: “The rival teams are preparing to face each other.” The plural subject teams requires are.
• Literary narration: “Each character is learning from the others.” The singular subject each character requires is.
• Documentary commentary: “One animal is warning the others of danger.” The singular subject one animal requires is.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. The two friends ______ helping each other through a difficult time. (is / are)
2. Each volunteer ______ working with the others on the project. (is / are)
3. The competing businesses ______ learning from each other. (is / are)
4. One child ______ watching while the others ______ playing. (is / are)
5. We ______ exchanging messages with each other. (is / are)

Answer Key

1. are — The subject two friends is plural.
2. is — The subject each volunteer is grammatically singular.
3. are — The subject businesses is plural.
4. is, are — One child is singular, while the others is plural.
5. are — The subject we takes are.

Are Synonyms

Synonym or substitute	Definition
exist	To be present or real; sometimes usable instead of “are” depending on the sentence.
remain	To continue in a particular state or condition.
become	To change into a particular state; it is a contextual substitute, not a direct replacement in every sentence.

Is Synonyms

Synonym or substitute	Definition
exists	Is present, real, or living.
remains	Continues to be in a particular state or place.
becomes	Changes into a new state or condition; the exact meaning depends on context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Should I say “each other are” or “each other is”?
Usually, neither expression is correct. Each other normally functions as an object, so the verb agrees with the subject before it: “The students are helping each other.”

Question 2: Is “They are helping each other” correct?
Yes. They is a plural subject and takes are. Each other is the object of helping.

Question 3: Is “Each of them are” or “Each of them is” correct?
In formal standard English, “Each of them is” is correct because each is grammatically singular: “Each of them is responsible.”

Question 4: Can “each other” be used with a singular verb?
It can appear in a sentence that contains a singular verb, but the verb must agree with another singular subject. For example, “The student is comparing the two answers with each other.”

Question 5: Is “one another” different from “each other”?
Both are reciprocal pronouns and are usually interchangeable. Traditional grammar sometimes associates each other with two people and one another with more than two, but modern English does not consistently maintain that distinction.

Conclusion

Choose are or is according to the subject, not according to each other. Use are with plural subjects such as they, we, and the teams; use is with singular subjects such as each person, one student, and the manager. Pro Tip: Correct subject–verb agreement strengthens your credibility in professional emails, reports, applications, and other formal writing.