9 Indefinite Pronouns

Pronouns are words used to avoid repetitions of a noun.

An Indefinite Pronoun does not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. {see Indefinite Pronouns: Something, Nothing, A2 Level}

Indefinite Pronouns are mostly either singular or plural while some of them can be both singular and plural depending on the context.

Anybody/one/thing/where

Anybody/one/thing/where can be used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.

Anybody/one/thing/where is used after not in Negative form.

Nobody/one/thing/where

Nobody/one/thing/where can be used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.

*Nobody/one/thing/where has no Negative form. It already has negative meaning when it is used in affirmative sentence. If sentence starts with the structure of “No-“, we cannot use “No-“ structure again. Instead of this we use “Any-“ structure.

Somebody/one/thing/where

Somebody/one/thing/where can be used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.

*Somebody/one/thing/where has no Negative form.

Everybody/one/thing/where

Everybody/one/thing/where can be used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.

*Everybody/one/thing/where has no Negative form.

• Anybody/one/thing/where
  • At that time, I don’t need anybody to help me.
  • Is there anyone in a hurry?
  • They have anything that they need for the exhibition.
  • You cannot go anywhere with this short skirt.
• Nobody/one/thing/where
  • Nobody was here the day before yesterday.
  • No one seemed pretty to me in the party.
  • Nothing suits with this long skirt.
  • Is there nowhere we can find wedding dress?
• Somebody/one/thing/where
  • Somebody bought this portrait in dollars.
  • We need someone who is older than you.
  • Is something missing in the house?
  • Can we go somewhere closer to my house? I don’t want to come to the house late.
• Everybody/one/thing/where
  • Today everybody came late.
  • Everyone is buying summer clothes.
  • Is everything written in the catalogue?
  • Everywhere is full of clothes and dresses.

Anybody/one/thing/where: They refer to unlimited set of things or people and specific things or people.

• Anybody: Any person, without any limitation;
• Anyone: Any person at all (same with anybody);
• Anything: Any such object;
• Anywhere: Any point, place.

Nobody/one/thing/where: They indicate that people, things or places are absent. They are already negative statements. We need to use them in positive sentences to give negative meaning.

• Nobody: Absence of person, not anybody;
• No one: No person (same with nobody);
• Nothing: Not any thing;
• Nowhere: Not any place.

Somebody/one/thing/where: These are used to refer to unknown or unspecified people or things.

• Somebody: Some person who is unidentified or unspecified;
• Someone: Unknown or unspecified person (same with somebody);
• Something: An object that unspecified, not known or stated;
• Somewhere: A place unknown or unidentified.

Everybody/one/thing/where: It indicates total number of people, things, places.

• Everybody: Total amount of person;
• Everyone: Same with everybody;
• Everything: All that existing objects;
• Everywhere: Every place or area.

Indefinite Pronouns do not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. While some of them can be singular or plural, some of them can be used in both ways depending on the context.

• Anybody/one/thing/where is used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.
  It is used after not in Negative form (e.g. He doesn’t have anything to wear.);
• Nobody/one/thing/where is used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.
  It has no Negative form, because it already has negative meaning when it is used in affirmative sentence (e.g. Nobody arrived on time.);
• Somebody/one/thing/where is used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.
  It has no Negative form (e.g. Someone paid by cheque.);
• Everybody/one/thing/where is used as a subject and object in Affirmative and Interrogative forms.
  It has no Negative form (e.g. Everybody arrived late.).

For example:
— “He doesn’t have anything to wear.” = Anything is used after “not” in Negative sentences.
— “Nobody arrived on time.” = Nobody is a Negative statement, therefore we cannot use it in positive sentences.
— “Someone paid by cheque.” = We can use somebody as a subject in Affirmative sentences.
— “Everybody arrived late.” = We can use everybody as subject in Affirmative sentences.

Let’s revise this content within the [Form] section. Take a look at the [Example] section that shows its use within a context.