---

Indefinite pronouns are non-specific pronouns.

They are used to refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what we’re talking about.

In other words, these pronouns do not name anyone or anything in particular (and here we have our first examples: anyone and anything).

Indefinite pronouns are useful for making general statements or when we don’t have enough information to be more specific.

Examples:

• This job vacancy is open to everyone.
  
  
• Someone has taken my pen!

There are many indefinite pronouns in the English language. Shown below are some of the more commonly used ones:

Indefinite Pronouns: Examples

anyone	something	several
everyone	anything	both
nobody	others	everything
somebody	some	nothing
each	many	all
none	few	either

✏️ Jump to Practice Makes Perfect

---

---

• Indefinite Pronouns in Use

  • Each to their own.
    
    
  • Anyone could have made that mistake.
    
    
  • Everyone had a good time at the reunion.
    
    
  • Someone has left their bag in the office.
    
    
  • He mumbled something under his breath.
    
    
  • No one deserved the award more than he did.
    
    
  • She wants everything to go perfectly on the day.
    
    
  • Many say that laughter is the best medicine.
    
    
  • You have nothing to worry about!
    
    
  • A friend to all is a friend to none.
    
    
  • Some prefer beach holidays, while others prefer city breaks.

  ---

  * Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns – Forms

While English has many indefinite pronouns and they might seem overwhelming at first, we can group them into categories to make them easier to learn and use.

These categories are based on what the pronouns refer to: all members of a group, some of a group, none at all, or quantities.

Indefinite Pronoun Functions: People vs. Things

Function	People	Things
All (all people or things)	everyone, all	everything, all
Partitive (some people or things)	someone, anyone	something, anything
None (no people or things)	no one, none	nothing, none
Quantities (amounts)	some, each, either, neither, another, both, few, many, several	some, each, either, neither, another, both, few, many, several

Depending on the context, some indefinite pronouns refer only to people or only to things, while others can refer to both.

Compound Endings

Some indefinite pronouns are formed by adding endings such as -one and -thing to base words. These endings tell us who or what the pronoun refers to.

1) Any indefinite pronoun ending in -one (everyone / anyone / someone / no one) refers exclusively to people.

Examples:

• Everyone needs a little help sometimes.
• Anyone is welcome to join.
• Someone called for you while you were out.
• No one could untie the Gordian Knot. That was until Alexander came along.

2) On the other hand, any indefinite pronoun ending in -thing (everything / anything / something / nothing) refers to things in the broadest sense: objects, events, concepts, or abstract ideas.

Examples:

• Did you remember to pack everything for the trip?
• Everything is going according to plan.
• You can do anything if you put your mind to it.
• Let’s do something fun this weekend.
• Nothing comes from nothing.

Indefinite Pronouns – Singular or Plural?

Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both, and this affects which verb form we use with them.

This is called subject-verb agreement: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example:

• Something smells delicious in the kitchen.

Here, something is the subject, and it is an indefinite pronoun that refers to one thing. Since it is singular, it takes the singular verb smells instead of smell. This shows how subject-verb agreement works: a singular subject needs a singular verb.

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

The good news is that most indefinite pronouns are singular, meaning they refer to one person or thing (and so they take singular verbs). Even when indefinite pronouns refer to more than one person or thing, they are treated as singular in many cases.

Example:

• Everyone is excited about the trip.

Here, everyone refers to multiple people, but as part of a group, so it is treated as a single unit. Therefore, everyone in this example sentence takes the singular verb is instead of the plural are.

Other examples of singular indefinite pronouns:

• everything
• someone
• something
• no one
• nothing
• each
• either
• neither

Plural Indefinite Pronouns

While many indefinite pronouns are singular, there are a few that are always plural. These pronouns refer to more than one person or thing and are seen as individual parts of a group, so they take plural verbs.

Example:

• Both were honoured for their performances.

Here, both refers to two people, so it is treated as a plural subject and takes the plural verb were (not the singular was). This follows the usual rule that plural subjects need plural verbs.

More examples of plural indefinite pronouns:

• few (e.g., Few know the full story.)
• many (e.g., Many are planning to attend.)
• several (e.g., Several have already expressed an interest in taking part in the scheme.)
• some / others (e.g., Some stayed quiet during the meeting, while others spoke out.)

Indefinite Pronouns That Can Be Singular or Plural

Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context of the sentence.

– When an indefinite pronoun refers to one person or thing, we use a singular verb.


– When an indefinite pronoun refers to more than one of something, we use a plural verb.

For example:

• All of the cake is gone.
  > Here, all refers to one thing (the cake), so it takes the singular verb is.
  
  
• All of the guests are here.
  > Here, all refers to more than one person (the guests), so it takes the plural verb are.

More indefinite pronouns that can be singular or plural:

• some
• any
• none
• most
• more

Anyone/Anything vs. Everyone/Everything

It can be tricky, even for native speakers, to use anyone/anything and everyone/everything accurately. Both pairs are indefinite pronouns, but they mean different things and affect how we talk about people or things.

Anyone and anything refer to any person or thing, usually in a non-specific or open way:

• Anyone can join the club.
• Is there anything I can do to help?

Everyone and everything refer to all people or all things in a certain group:

• Everyone enjoyed the party.
• Everything was ready on time.

---

– Anyone / anything = any person or thing, without specifying which one.

– Everyone / everything = all people or things considered as a single group.

Using Indefinite Pronouns – Affirmative, Negative & Questions

Indefinite pronouns are used differently depending on whether they appear in affirmative statements, negative sentences, or questions.

Indefinite Pronouns in Affirmative Statements

Affirmative (or positive) statements are simply sentences that say something is true or happens.

Using indefinite pronouns in affirmative statements is fairly straightforward.

Example:

• Someone brought food for all of the firefighters involved.

Here, someone refers to an unnamed person who brought food for the firefighters. The sentence is simply stating something that happened, not denying it or questioning it.

Even some indefinite pronouns that are inherently negative in meaning appear in affirmative sentences to express things that happen.

Example:

• Nothing went smoothly at the event.

Here, nothing refers to the absence of anything positive at the event, but the sentence itself affirms this fact. It states clearly that no part of the event went well.

Indefinite Pronouns in Negative Sentences

Negative sentences state that something is not true or did not happen.

As we’ve seen, some indefinite pronouns have a built-in negative meaning (e.g., no one / nothing / neither / none). For negative sentences, these pronouns are used without adding a negative verb because they already express negation on their own.

For example:

✅ – No one was at the park.
❌ – No one wasn’t at the park.

In the correct sentence, the negative idea is carried entirely by the pronoun (no one), so the verb stays positive.

---

If the indefinite pronoun doesn’t have a built-in negative meaning, we typically use an any- form (e.g., anyone / anything) in negative sentences.

Note: In negative sentences, we use any- forms instead of some- forms.

✅ – I didn’t see anyone at the park.
❌ – I didn’t see someone at the park.

Indefinite Pronouns in Question Sentences

Questions often use any‑ forms or some‑ forms. Which one we use depends on the expected answer or what the question implies.

1) Any‑ Forms for Open Questions

When we are not sure if the answer is a straight yes or no, or we want to allow for any possibility, we should use any‑ forms (e.g., anyone / anything).

Examples:

• Is there anyone who knows the answer?
  > The speaker doesn’t know if anyone knows the answer.
  
  
• Did anything happen while I was gone?
  > The speaker is asking about any possible event that happened. The use of anything opens this question up to all kinds of answers.

2) Some‑ Forms for Offers and Invitations

If you expect or offer something, some‑ forms (e.g., someone / something) sound more natural.

Examples:

• Did someone call for me?
  > Here, it is implied that the speaker suspects that someone likely called for them and is asking to confirm or find out who it was.
  
  
• Would you like something to drink?
  > Here, the speaker offers a drink and implies that a specific selection is available, which signals that a clear yes-or-no response is expected.

Indefinite Pronouns in Possessive Form

Many indefinite pronouns can show possession by adding an apostrophe + s (’s) to the end of the word.

Typically, the indefinite pronouns that can form possessives are the ones that start with some-, any-, or every-.

Examples:

• Is this anyone’s pen?
• I found someone’s keys on the floor before leaving work yesterday.
• She was everyone’s favourite singer.
• Hiking is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Note: Not all indefinite pronouns can form possessives. Pronouns that refer to amounts, such as each, some, neither, and several, cannot form possessives.

Common Mistakes

Double Negatives

A common mistake when using indefinite pronouns is creating a double negative. This happens when two negative words appear in the same sentence, which can make the meaning confusing or change it completely.

Example:

❌ – I don’t need nobody’s advice.

Here, nobody already has a negative meaning and combining it with the negative don’t creates a double negative.

Technically, this sentence means ‘I do need someone’s advice.’, which is the opposite of what the speaker intends.

To fix this, we would have to remove one of the negatives:

✅ – I don’t need anyone’s advice.
✅ – Nobody needs to give me advice.

Both sentences are now correct because they contain only one negative idea.

Practice Makes Perfect: Indefinite Pronouns

Put your knowledge of indefinite pronouns to the test here in our interactive practice section.

Exercise 1: Identify the Indefinite Pronoun

Identify the indefinite pronoun(s) in each sentence.

1. Does anyone know where the nearest cash machine is?
   
   
2. Few expected the underdog to win, but he pulled it off.
   
   
3. “A friend to all is a friend to none.” – Aristotle
   
   
4. Several of us have already signed up for the course.
   
   
5. Some prefer the original, while others think the sequel is better.
   
   
6. Neither of us had a clue what we were doing.
   
   
7. She gets along with anyone and everyone.
   
   
8. He’ll eat anything and everything you put in front of him.
   
   
9. No one remembered to bring an umbrella. Naturally, we all got soaked.
   
   
10. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Exercise 1: Answers [Click]

1. anyone
   
   
2. Few
   
   
3. all, none
   
   
4. Several
   
   
5. Some, others
   
   
6. Neither
   
   
7. anyone, everyone
   
   
8. anything, everything
   
   
9. No one
   
   
10. No one

---

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Verb Form

Choose the correct verb to complete each sentence. Think about whether the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural.

1. Both ____________ equally qualified for the role. (is / are)
   
   
2. Nobody ____________ what really happened. (know / knows)
   
   
3. All of the milk ____________ gone. (is / are)
   
   
4. All of the biscuits ____________ gone. (is / are)
   
   
5. “Anyone who __________________ (has / have) never made a mistake __________________ (has / have) never tried anything new.” – Einstein

Exercise 2: Answers [Click]

1. are (both is plural)
   
   
2. knows (nobody is singular)
   
   
3. is (all refers to one thing: the milk – singular)
   
   
4. are (all refers to more than one thing: the biscuits – plural)
   
   
5. has, has (anyone is singular)

---

Exercise 3: Some- or Any-?

Complete each sentence with the correct form: someone/anyone, something/anything, or somewhere/anywhere.

1. Is there ____________ you’d recommend on this menu?
   
   
2. Would you like ____________ to drink?
   
   
3. Has ____________ seen my glasses?
   
   
4. She didn’t go ____________ over the weekend.
   
   
5. I’m sure I’ve left my keys ____________ in the house.

Exercise 3: Answers [Click]

1. anything (open question – no expectation of a specific answer)
   
   
2. something (offer – expecting a yes or no)
   
   
3. anyone (open question)
   
   
4. anywhere (negative sentence)
   
   
5. somewhere (affirmative – the speaker believes this to be true)

---

Exercise 4: Spot and Correct the Error

Each sentence contains a mistake involving indefinite pronouns. Find it and fix it.

1. I don’t know nothing about it.
   
   
2. Everyone need to bring their own drinks.
   
   
3. I didn’t see nobody I recognised at the event.
   
   
4. Has nobody seen something suspicious?
   
   
5. Everybody were shocked by Mike’s dance moves at the Christmas party. He’s the quietest guy in the office.

Exercise 4: Answers [Click]

1. I don’t know anything about it.
   > Double negative: don’t + nothing. Use anything with a negative verb.
   
   
2. Everyone needs to bring their own drinks.
   > Everyone is singular, so it takes needs not need.
   
   
3. I didn’t see anybody I recognised at the event.
   > Double negative: didn’t + nobody. Use anybody with a negative verb.
   
   
4. Has nobody seen anything suspicious?
   > Nobody is already negative, so use anything not something.
   
   
5. Everybody was shocked by Mike’s dance moves at the Christmas party. He’s the quietest guy in the office.
   > Everybody is singular, so it takes was not were.

---

Exercise 5: Anyone/Anything or Everyone/Everything?

Choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.

1. ____________ is invited to the BBQ this Saturday. The more, the merrier!
   
   
2. ____________ can learn to drive. It just takes practice.
   
   
3. ____________ in the team contributed to the win.
   
   
4. Don’t worry, ____________ can make mistakes.
   
   
5. Is ____________ alright? You look a bit pale.
   
   
6. ____________ has been packed and loaded into the car. We’re ready to go.

Exercise 5: Answers [Click]

1. Everyone (all people in a specific group are invited)
   
   
2. Anyone (any person in general, not a specific group)
   
   
3. Everyone (all members of the team)
   
   
4. anyone (any person in general)
   
   
5. everything (asking about all things, not one specific thing)
   
   
6. Everything (all items have been packed)

---

---

• ShareCopied to clipboard

Next: Understanding Determiners >