Indefinite Pronouns

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Indefinite Pronouns

• Mini-lesson 10
• From the UWF Writing Labs
• 101 Grammar Mini-Lessons Series

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Singular Indefinite Pronouns

• The following pronouns are singular
• each, nobody, something, anybody, no one,
  somebody, one, everybody, someone, neither,
  anyone, anything, either, nothing, everyone,
  everything, and other pronouns ending in one,
  body, and thing.
• Example Everybody is going to the party.
• Example Only one of my friends is going to the
  party.
• Example Neither of my friends is going to the
  party.

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Plural Indefinite Pronouns

• The following pronouns are plural
• Several, few, both, and many.
• Example Several of my friends are going to the
  party.

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Singular and Plural Indefinite Pronouns

• The following pronouns may be singular or plural
  depending on either their antecedent (the word or
  phrase to which they refer) or on the noun or
  pronoun in the prepositional phrase
• Some, all, most, none, and any.

• Examples
• Some of the mail has arrived.
• Some of the letters have arrived.

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Singular and Plural Indefinite Pronouns, Cont.

• When none is used to mean not one of, it is
  construed as singular when it tells how many, it
  is construed as plural.
• Examples
• Of these medicines, none is effective.
• None of the people are here.

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Practicing Indefinite Pronouns

• Everybody (love/loves) somebody.
• Everybody loves somebody.
• If either of the two students (are/is) caught
  cheating again, he will be suspended for three
  weeks.
• If either of the two students is caught cheating
  again, he will be suspended for three weeks.

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Practicing More Indefinite Pronouns

• Several of the audience members at the circus
  (was/were) accosted by the juggling platypus.
• Several of the audience members at the circus
  were accosted by the juggling platypus.
• Both of my parents (is/are) from Kentucky.
• Both of my parents are from Kentucky.

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I hope everybody has a great day!