Indefinite Pronoun Notes
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea.
Indefinite pronouns often do not have antecedents.
Example: Everyone should know about the men of the Endurance shipwreck.
Anybody would be amazed by the story of this shipwreck.
Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or either singular or plural.
Indefinite Pronouns
Singular
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
either
everybody
everyone
everything
Plural
neither
nobody
no one
nothing
one
somebody
someone
something
both
few
many
several
Singular or Plural
all
any
most
none
some
Pronouns containing –one, -thing, or –body are always singular.
Singular Indefinite Pronouns-Use a singular personal pronoun to refer to a singular indefinite pronoun.
Example: Anyone in trouble depends on his or her friends.
(Anyone could be masculine or feminine.)
On the Endurance, everybody had to keep his spirits while waiting for rescue.
(There were only men on the ship.)
Plural Indefinite Pronouns-Use a plural personal pronoun to refer to a plural indefinite pronoun.
Example: Many shared their food and clothing.
None realized they would not return home for 20 months.
Singular OR Plural Indefinite Pronouns-Some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural. Often the
phrase that follows the indefinite pronoun will tell you whether the pronoun is singular or plural.
Example: Most of the mast had lost its sail.
singular indefinite pronoun
singular personal pronoun
Most of the masts had lost their sails.
plural indefinite pronoun
plural personal pronoun
**Why does this matter???
Agreement can help keep your facts and ideas
clear. Make sure that all pronouns agree with their indefinite antecedents in number.