Indefinite Pronouns

An indefinite pronoun does not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. It is vague
and "not definite". Some typical indefinite pronouns are:

 any, anybody/anyone, anything, everybody/everyone, everything, nobody, none, some,

somebody/someone
person Place Thing

 All everyone everywhere everything

everybody

 Part (positive) someone somewhere something

somebody

 Part (negative) anyone anywhere anything

anybody

 None no one nowhere nothing

nobody

Indefinite pronouns with  some and any are used to describe indefinite and incomplete

quantities in the same way that some and any are used alone. Indefinite pronouns are
placed in the same location as a noun would go in the sentence.

Noun Indefinite pronoun

I would like to go 

go to Paris 
Paris this summer. go somewhere this summer.
I would like to go 

Jim gave me this book. Someone gave me this book.

to Sam.
I won't tell your secret to  to anyone.
I won't tell your secret to 

bought my school supplies at the mall.

I bought  bought everything at the mall.
I bought 

AFFIRMATIVE
In affirmative sentences, indefinite pronouns using 
using some 
some are used to describe an indefinite quantity, the indefinite pronouns
with 
with every 
every are used to describe a complete quantity, and the pronouns with 
with no 
no are used to describe an absence. Indefinite
pronouns with 
with no 
no are often used in affirmative sentences with a negative meaning, but these are nevertheless not negative
sentences because they are lacking the word 
word not.
not.

 Everyone 
Everyone is sleeping in my bed.
 Someone 
Someone is sleeping in my bed.
 No one 
one is sleeping in my bed.
 I gave 
gave everything 
everything to Sally.

Any 
Any and the indefinite pronouns formed with it can also be used in affirmative sentences with a meaning that is close
to 
to every:
every: whichever person, whichever place, whichever thing, etc.
  They can choose 
choose anything 
anything from the menu.
 You may invite 
invite anybody 
anybody you want to your birthday party.
 We can go 
go anywhere 
anywhere you'd like this summer.

NEGATIVE SENTENCES
Negative sentences can only be formed with the indefinite pronouns that include 
include any.
any.

 I don't have 
have anything 
anything to eat.
 She didn't go 
go anywhere 
anywhere last week.
 I can't find 
find anyone 
anyone to come with me.

Many negative sentences that include an indefinite pronoun with 

with any 
any can be turned into affirmative sentences with a negative
meaning by using an indefinite pronoun with 
with no.
no. However, there is a change in meaning with this transformation: the
sentence that includes an indefinite pronoun with 
with no 
no is stronger, and can imply emotional content such as definsiveness,
hopelessness, anger, etc.

 I don't know 
know anything 
anything about it. = neutral
 I know 
know nothing 
nothing about it. = defensive
 I don't have 
have anybody 
anybody to talk to. = neutral
 I have 
have nobody 
nobody to talk to. = hopeless
 There wasn't 
wasn't anything 
anything we could do. = neutral
 There was 
was nothing 
nothing we could do. = defensive/angry

NEGATIVE QUESTIONS
Indefinite pronouns with 
with every,
every, some,
some, and 
and any 
any can be used to form negative questions. These questions can usually be
answered with a "yes" or a "no"

Pronouns formed with 

with anyand
anyand  every 
every are used to form true questions, while those with 
with some 
some generally imply a question to
which we already know or suspect the answer.

 Is there 
there anything 
anything to eat?
 Did you go 
go anywhere 
anywhere last night?
 Is 
Is everyone 
everyone here?
 Have you looked 
looked everywhere?
everywhere?

These questions can be turned in to false or rhetorical questions by making them negative. The speaker, when posing a
question of this type, is expecting an answer of "no".

 Isn't
Isn't  there 
there anything 
anything to eat?
 Didn't
Didn't  you go 
go anywhere 
anywhere last night?
 Isn't
Isn't  everyone 
everyone here?
 Haven't
Haven't  you looked 
looked everywhere?
everywhere?

Some 
Some and pronouns formed with it is only used in questions to which we think we already know the answer, or questions
which are not true questions (invitations, requests, etc.) The person asking these questions is expecting an answer of "Yes".

 Are you looking for 

for someone?
someone?
 Have you lost 
lost something?
something?

These questions can be made even more definite if they are made negative. In this case, the speaker is absolutely certain he
will receive the answer "Yes".

 Aren't
Aren't  you looking for 
for someone?
someone?
 Haven't
Haven't  you lost 
lost something?
something?
 Aren't
Aren't  you going 
going somewhere?
somewhere?
 Couldn't
Couldn't somebody 
somebody help me, please?
 Wouldn't
Wouldn't  you like to go 
go somewhere 
somewhere this weekend?
 Globetrotters
Exercise 1 - Indefinite pronouns: some-, any-, no-, every-Choose the
correct answer.
1. Would you like --------------------to eat?
2. It was really dark and I couldn't see-----------------.
3. Does---------------- live in that house?
4. It doesn't matter where we go. We can go-------------- we want to.
5. This is boring. There's-------------------- to do.
6. The shop is closed.------------------ has gone home.
7. -------------------------done their homework?
8. The guidebook says there's a good hotel ------------------------near here.

II.Idefinite pronouns Some , any, no, every

Exercise 2Choose the correct indefinite pronoun to complete the sentences
1. There is ... in the bathrom at the moment; we can't go in.
Asomeone Bsomething Cnobody Danyone
2. I am bored. There isn't ... to do here
Aanything Bnothing Csomething Danywhere
3. I'm bored. There is ... to do here
Aanything Bnothing Csomething Deveryone
4. I can't find my glasses ...!
Anowhere Bsomething Canyone Danywhere
5. The party was great and .... had a good time.
Asomeone Bno one Ceverything Deveryone
6. We need to buy ... for Joe's birthday.
Aanybody Bsomething Csomeone Deverywhere
7. Let's go .... different on holiday this year!
Asomething Beverything Canywhere Dsomewhere
8. She was so hungry that she ate ... that was on her plate and asked for some more.
Asomething Banyone Ceverything Dnothing
9. She didn't say ... about the late delivery of her order.
Aanywhere Bsomething Cnothing Danything
10. All my family has gone to the festival. There is ... at home.
Anobody Banybody Csomething Deveryone

Exercise 3 Choose the correct indefinite pronoun to complete the sentences

1. Don't trust ...

no one anyone someone

2. Would you like me to do ... for you?

something anything nothing

3. ... wanted to talk to you when you were in the supermarkt. He left his number.

Nobody Anybody Somebody

4. Before you marry her, I must tell you ... about her parents.

anything nothing something

5. ... was surprised when he confessed his love. We didn't expect it.

Someone Nobody Everyone

6. It's up to her so ... should tell her what to do.

somebody nobody anybody

7. He's not a liar. I'm sure ... he said was true.

something everything anything

8.The
8.The holidays were great. We could do ... we wanted.

something nothing anything

9.Is
9.Is ... going to the theatre with me?

anybody somebody nobody

10.I didn't feel good at the concert, because there was ... I knew.

anybody no one someone

11. We had known all the facts ha said. We found out ... new.

anything something nothing

12.There is ... to go in winter in this city.

nowhere nothing anywhere

13.Don't worry, ... will be ok.

anything something everything

14.I can't see Kate ... Do you know where she is?

anywhere nowhere somewhere

15. Paul lives ... in Canada.
somewhere anywhere nowhere