HOW OT USE THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

HOW OT USE THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Definition: Words like “something”, “everywhere”, “anybody” and “no-one” are indefinite pronouns. We use them for people, things and places.

LIST OF THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

People: somebody* / anybody* / nobody* / everybody*
Things: something / anything / nothing / everything
Places: somewhere / anywhere / nowhere / everywhere
*We can use anybody or anyone - the meaning is the same. It's also true for someone, no-one and everyone.
These are singular words, so we use a singular verb with them.

For example:

Does anybody want cake?

Everybody loves the new puppy.

However, we can use “they / them / their”.

For example:

Anybody who wants cake should pass their plate.

Nobody brought their bag.

We can use these words on their own for a short answer.

A: What do you want to eat? B: Nothing!

We can use them at the beginning of a sentence as the subject or as the object of a sentence.

For example:

Nothing was done.

She did nothing.

Some- and any- We have already talked about how to use some and any. 
We use someone / somebody / something / somewhere in the same way as some and we use anyone / anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way as any.
We use somebody / something / somewhere mainly in positive sentences.

For example:

We can find somebody who can help.

There's something in the bag.

Let's go somewhere this weekend.

We use anybody / anything / anywhere in the same way, but for questions and negative sentences.

For example:

I can't find anybody who can help.

Is there anything in the bag?

We didn't go anywhere this weekend.

We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with sentences that have a negative feeling.

There is hardly anybody here.

She ate hardly anything.

We spent the weekend at home without going anywhere.

We can use somebody / something / somewhere in questions when they are offers or requests or when we think the answer is yes.

For example:

Are you looking for something? (= I think you're looking for something.)

Would you like something to eat?

We often use anybody / anything / anywhere after “if”.

For example:

If anybody would like a coffee, tell me now!

If anything is wrong, you need to phone the reception.

If there's anywhere that you don't want to go, please send me an email.

We also use anybody / anything / anywhere with the meaning “it doesn't matter who / which / where”.

For example:

Anybody can do this.

I'd like to go anywhere! I just don't want to be here!

She was so hungry that she ate anything.

No- Nobody = not anybody. Nothing = not anything. Nowhere = not anywhere.

I don't know anyone who's coming = I know nobody who's coming.

There isn't anything here = there's nothing here.

She doesn't want to go anywhere = she wants to go nowhere.

Usually the sentence with “no” is stronger and more emphatic.
We don't usually use a negative verb with nobody / nothing / nowhere. Sometimes you hear this but it's not standard English.

NOT: I don’t know nobody.

Every- Everybody = all the people. Everything = all the things. Everywhere = all the places. These can be used in positive sentences, negative sentences and questions.

For example:

I think that she has been everywhere in Europe.

He doesn't know everything.

Do you know everybody here?

THE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS EXERCISE 1

Definition: Put in the correct indefinite pronoun (somebody / something / somewhere / anybody / anything / anywhere / nobody / nothing / nowhere / everybody / everything / everywhere).

1. She wants to live ________________ by the sea (in a certain place).

2. She put ________________ in the box, all the things that she had.

3. Does ________________ have a phone charger? (I don’t know if a person has a charger or not.)

4. We went ________________ this weekend. We stayed at home.

5. She didn’t bring ________________ to the party.

6. Is there ________________ in the room?

7. A: What’s wrong? B: ________________, I’m fine.

8. ________________ lives in that house. It’s empty.

9. Would you like to go ________________ this weekend? (I don’t expect a particular answer.)

10. ________________ was really friendly, all the managers and even the CEO.

11. ________________ is going really well and so I’m really happy.

12. I know ________________ in this company. It’s my first day.

13. Did you go ________________ during the summer? (I don’t know if you did or not.)

14. She doesn’t want ________________ to help her.

15. She loves ________________. She’s a really kind person.

16. I must have left my keys ________________!

17. They looked ________________ for the money. They looked in all the places in the house.

18. Would you like ________________ to drink? (This is an offer, not a real question.)

19. ________________ in the UK has hot weather today. It’s cold all over the country. 20. ________________ unusual happened. It was a very ordinary day.

21. I gave the children ________________ to eat because they were hungry.

22. I wish ________________ would clean this mess up!

23. ________________ came to the door earlier but I don’t know who it was.

24. I’d love to travel ________________ – all over the whole world!

 
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