Indefinite Pronouns

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Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are a special type of pronoun that are used when there aren’t specific nouns to represent.

What Are Indefinite Pronouns?

Indefinite pronouns are used to represent an indefinite noun or pronoun, ones that do not refer to any specific person, place, or thing. There are many indefinite pronouns, so you’ll need to pay attention to whether or not they’re singular or plural, or both.

Take a look at this chart to see how some are functioning:

Singular Plural Singular or Plural
some-someone
somebody
somethingsomewhere
any-anyone
anybody
anythinganywhere
no-no one
nobody
nothingnowhere
every-everyone
everybody
everythingeverywhere

There are many indefinite pronouns, so be sure to read about their functioning below. Just remember that they can function in the same way that a noun would in a sentence, as a subject, a direct object, or an indirect object. Just keep an eye out for where those normally occur in a sentence and you’ll be sure to find one!

How Do You Use Indefinite Pronouns?

An indefinite pronoun can be used anywhere a specific noun is unknown. The trick here is to pay attention to whether or not the subject is singular or plural so that you can make your verb agree.

Singular Plural Singular or Plural
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
enough
everybody
everyone
everything
less
little
much
neither
nobody
no one
nothing
one
other
somebody
someone
something
both
few
fewer
many
others
several
all
any
more
most
none
some
such

Here are some examples:
1) Somebody left all of their school books at the library on the table.
2) Anybody can see that she loves her dog.
3) Everything in the bag can be donated to the poor.
4) Both of them have decided to go to college in the fall.
5) None is going to be the right fit for her narrow foot.

QUICK TIP!

Remember that indefinite pronouns are common in the English language, and will often replace a subject in a sentence. Just be sure to make the verb agree with whichever you choose to use.

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