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 Andrew international,
The context is always important. This sentence sounds like an order in a restaurant and the 'that is' refers to the person's order. You could rephrase it as 'So your order is eggs, peas and chips'.
This is a common way of summarising orders and requests in shops, restaurants and so on.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello!
Kindly explain to me the difference between these two sentences:
I will like to go.
I would like to go.
Can they be interchanged ?
Hi again hawa100,
'will' and 'would are used differently, so in most cases you cannot exchange them without changing the meaning. Please see our will or would page for an explanation.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello!
I would like to know the difference between indefinite pronoun and distributive pronoun.
Thank you in advance for the help.
Hello hawa100,
Indefinite pronouns do not identify people or things specifically but in general and non-specific terms. They include words like everyone, everybody, everything, no-one, nobody, nothing, anyone, anybody, anything, someone and so on.
Distributive pronouns refer to members of a group separately and not collectively. They include each, any, either, neither and others.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Thank you Sir for the answer. I have seen the difference now.
I got 8 out 8 for that one.
I have the first Total score is 8 out of 8 (100%), SecondTotal score is 3 out of 6 (50%)
When we refer back to an noun or pronoun by object pronoun. Suppose there is word "it" what does it refer back to if they are two objects in the sentence? Suppose there is word "they" what does it refer back to if they are two plural nouns in the sentence?
Hello kingston123,
This really depends on the construction of the particular sentence. If you provide concrete examples of what you have in mind (actual sentences) then we'll be happy to explain.
Best wishes,
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
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