Level: beginner
Some of the indefinite pronouns in English are:
| anybody | everybody | nobody | somebody |
| anyone | everyone | no one | someone |
| anything | everything | nothing | something |
We use indefinite pronouns to refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what they are. We use pronouns ending in -body or -one for people, and pronouns ending in -thing for things:
Everybody enjoyed the concert.
I opened the door but there was no one at home.
It was a very clear day. We could see everything.
- Indefinite pronouns 1
We use a singular verb after an indefinite pronoun:
Everybody loves Sally.
Everything was ready for the party.
When we refer back to an indefinite pronoun, we normally use a plural pronoun:
Everybody enjoyed the concert. They stood up and clapped.
I will tell somebody that dinner is ready. They have been waiting a long time.
| Be careful! |
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In negative clauses, we use pronouns with no-, not pronouns with any-:
We do not use another negative in a clause with nobody, no one or nothing:
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- Indefinite pronouns 2
We can add 's to an indefinite pronoun to make a possessive:
They were staying in somebody's house.
Is this anybody's coat?
We use else after indefinite pronouns to refer to other people or things:
All the family came, but no one else.
If Michael can't come, we'll ask somebody else.
I think this is somebody else's coat.
Comments
Hello my colleagues, I'd like to ask you a question. My question is : Is everybody in the classroom ? How can we answer this question ? Can we say ''Yes, everybody is in the classroom'' / ''Yes, they are in the classroom ?'' or ''Yes, he / she is in the classroom ?'' Which one is the correct answer ? Thanks a lot for your help.
Hello Lokman Bozkurt,
Both the first and the second answers are correct and possible. Indefinite pronouns like 'everybody' take a singular verb, but when we replace them with a pronoun such as 'they' we need a plural verb; we cannot replace 'everybody' with a singular verb and so the third answer is incorrect.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello teachers.
Is this sentence correct? I mean the use of the indefinite pronoun (nothing). If it is false please tell me the reason?
* I can see nothing under the chair.
Hello Karzan_Camus,
Yes, that is grammatically fine. You could also say '...can't see anything...'
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Whats the difference between somenody and someone? What should b their usage in sentence? Same question is for anybody and anyone
Hello sanafarrukh,
There is no difference in meaning. Some people might say the words ending in '-body' are a little more conversational and perhaps less used in writing than spoken English, but I think the difference is minimal.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
I think I got it. Was everybody having a good time? Yes, they were. Is it ok?
Hello Gabriel868,
Yes, that sentence is correct.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
I'am having a good time here.
Hello, I was wondering why it is used like, for example ; "somebody save me" while this is an indefinite pronoun. So why do people use both "somebody saves my life", and "somebody save me"?
Thank you for reading.
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