小词all使用频繁，可以用作名词、形容词、副词和代词。下面就其常见意思及短语举例说明。
1.all用作名词指“全体；全部”。比如：Rich and poor, all must die.不论贫穷，都要死亡。Tell me all about it.把全部情况告诉我吧。
2．all用作形容词，表示“一切的，所有的”。比如：In the night all cats are grey.到了晚上，猫都是灰色的。
All London, all the town, all the inhabitants were stir.全伦敦，全城，全体居民都骚动起来了。He did good all his life.他一辈子做好事。
3.all用作副词，表示“完全地，很”。比如：I was all alone.我是独个儿的了。He was doing it all by himself.全都是他独自一个人干的。
He loves animals and he knows all about them.他热爱动物，并且对动物无所不知。
4.all用作代词，意思是“全部，一切”。比如：All you ever want to do is going shopping!
你想做的事情就是购物！He said all that remained was to agree to a time and venue. 他说剩下的只是同意一个时间和地点。
4.all构成的常见短语有：
1）above all首先，最重要的，尤其是。比如：She liked him above all for his effortless charm.她尤其喜欢他天生的魅力。
Above all, it's the emotions one experiences in teaching that facilitate learning.最重要的是，一个人在教学中体验到的情感有助于学习。
2）after all 毕竟，终究。比如：After all, he is a child.他毕竟还是孩子。So you made it after all!你毕竟成功了！
3）all but几乎，差不多；除了……都。比如：It was all but impossible to read his writing.他的笔迹几乎没法辨认。All but one of the plates were damaged.除去一只，盘子全打碎了。
4）all over 到处，遍及。比如：We looked all over for the ring.我们到处找那枚戒指。Where have you been? We have been looking for you all over.你去哪儿了?我们到处找你。
5）at all丝毫，一点。多用于否定句。比如：He doesn't understand women at all.他根本就不了解女性。He never made it home at all last night.他昨天晚上根本没有回家。
6）in all 总共，合计。比如：There are 1000 students in all.总共有1000名学生。There was evidence that thirteen people in all had taken part in planning the murder.有证据表明共计13人参与策划了这起谋杀。