Indefinite Pronouns
everyone, everybody, everything
someone, somebody, something
anyone, anybody, anything
no one, nobody, nothing
In statement sentences, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no one, nobody are always considered as singular (he or she); therefore, they take singular verb.
Examples:
• Somebody has stolen his car.
• No one was late to class.
• Has everyone handed in the paper?
In question tags, those indefinite pronouns are considered as plural: they.
Examples:
• Everyone should use computer for their work, shouldn’t they?
• No one needs any help, do they?
• Nobody wants to believe his words, do they?
Formal English:
• Somebody left his book on the desk.
• Everyone has his own ideas.
A singular personal pronoun is used in formal English to refer to an indefinite pronoun.
Informal English:
• Somebody left their book on the desk.
• Everybody has their own ideas.
In spoken English, a plural personal pronouns is often used to refer to an indefinite pronoun.
ANYONE or ANYBODY? – What’s the difference betweenANYONE and ANYBODY?
Both are singular pronouns. Use ANYONE when you are suggesting a person in a known group, for example,“Does anyone in this class know the capital city of Argentina?” Use ANYBODY when you are unaware of the group, as in “Has anybody ever gone thirty days without food and lived?”
Use:
• SOMEBODY told me about this book. – affirmative
• NOBODY likes homework. NOT Nobody doesn’t like homework. (Nobody doesn’t – double negative)
• Does ANYBODY here play chess? – questions
• Would you like SOMETHING to drink? – offers and requests
• Is there SOMETHING wrong? – when you think you know the answer
• You can ask me ANYTHING. I don’t mind – it doesn’t matter
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