EnglishPronouns, Sentence Structure In English, indefinite pronouns are pronounsNo definition set for pronounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. that don’t refer to any specific person or thing, but rather refer to a person, place, thing, idea, or group “in general.” Compare:
I asked Lily if she baked cookies.
→ In this example, the personal pronoun she is replacing a specific person: Lily.
I asked Lily if someone baked cookies.
→ In this example, the indefinite pronoun someone refers to a person, but besides that we have no other information to identify who they might be talking about.
In this post, we’ll discuss common indefinite pronouns (such as something, anyone, everywhere, all, some, little, many, and several), indefinite pronouns that are formed by combining two different words (like nothing (no + thing) or somebody (some + body)), how to use indefinite pronouns, and singular vs. plural indefinite pronouns.
If you’re ready to be an indefinite pronoun pro, read on!
What are indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns, like all pronouns, are words that are used like a nounNo definition set for nounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. in the sentence (as a subject, object, etc.). But unlike other kinds of pronouns, indefinite pronouns refer to a nonspecific noun. For example:
One does not simply walk into Mordor.
→ One refers to any person, in general
All indefinite pronouns provide a little information about the quantity, amount, or percentage of a group or substance that is being discussed. This is why indefinite pronouns are sometimes called quantifying pronouns. For example:
I wanted a cookie, but there were none left.
→ none = 0
Most of the cake was gone.
→ most = >50%
I could only see some of the students.
→ some = more than 0, less than 100%
Some indefinite pronouns are used only for people or only for non-people:
Everyone is welcome to attend the open house.
→ everyone = 100% (of people)
Something made a noise outside...
→ something = one (for non-people)
There are many different indefinite pronouns in English. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most common ones that you encounter every day.
How do indefinite pronouns show quantity?
Though most indefinite pronouns refer to the quantity of the noun they replace, that quantity is not always exact. For example:
Some indefinite pronouns say you’re talking about the whole group or amount:
all, both, each
everyone, everything, everybody
Some indefinite pronouns say you’re talking about a general or nonspecific amount. Some represent larger quantities while some represent smaller quantities:
enough, much, few, fewer, less, little, many, more, most, others, plenty, several, some, any
anything, anyone, anybody
Some indefinite pronouns tell us you’re talking about a specific amount:
One: one, either, someone, somebody, something,
More: cardinal numbers (two, five, three hundred ...)
Some indefinite pronouns say you’re talking about zero:
neither, none
no one, nobody, nothing
These pronouns that represent zero are also called negative pronouns.
Many indefinite pronouns are also used as quantifying adjectivesNo definition set for adjectivesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. (or “quantifiers”) that describe a noun, instead of replacing it. Compare:
The plants need some water.
→ Some is a quantifying adjective.
The plants need water. Give them some.
→ Some is an indefinite pronoun.
However, not all indefinite pronouns can be quantifying adjectives:
❌ There is none water for these plants.
To learn more about the differences between indefinite pronouns and quantity adjectives, check out our post on quantity adjectives in English!
How to use indefinite pronouns in English?
Since indefinite pronouns are used to replace nouns, you can use them in the same place a noun is used, such as the subjectNo definition set for subjectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. or objectNo definition set for objectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.:
subjectobject
My dog had puppies. All are black.
We adopted all of the puppies.
In English, indefinite pronouns fall into two main categories, depending on how much information they provide about the type of noun they are replacing:
Indefinite pronouns that need context (e.g. all, some, none, a few, ...)
These give you no information about the type of noun in the group, so that information needs to be provided elsewhere in the sentence.
Indefinite pronouns that don’t need context (e.g. someone, anything, nobody)
These carry information about the type of noun in the group (people, objects, etc.), so that information does not need to be provided elsewhere in the sentence.
Let’s look at each different kind of indefinite pronoun below!
Indefinite pronouns that need context
Most of the usual indefinite pronouns that we see and use every day require some context to determine what kind of nouns they’re describing the quantity of. This includes indefinite pronouns like most, any, some, both, either, and more.
Usually we introduce this “context” by using a prepositional phraseNo definition set for prepositional phraseLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. with of right after the indefinite pronoun:
prepositional phrase with 'of'
Most of the puppies are girls.
Neither of my coworkers came to work today.
One of the kids broke the window.
The noun at the end of this prepositional phrase must be specific, so it usually starts with the, a possessive adjective, or a demonstrative adjective:
✅ We ate most of the cake.
✅ We ate most of our cake.
✅ We ate most of this cake.
Or, you can follow of with an object pronounNo definition set for object pronounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.:
What’s this spot? I was making coffee and some of it spilled.
I brought you some tomatoes from my garden. I have plenty of them.
Carter finished his cookies, but his sister still had some, so he took one of hers.
However, if the situation or previous conversation makes it clear, you can leave out the of-phrase:
I’m serving the ice cream now!
Indefinite pronouns that don’t need context
A few indefinite pronouns do not need context because their meaning carries more information about the type of noun they represent. These indefinite pronouns are made from combining words together, like something (some + thing), anybody (any + body), or no one (no + one). These indefinite pronouns do not require context, because the second part of the pronoun tells you what kind of noun they describe.
The indefinite pronouns that are made out of two different words are illustrated below:
| | | | |
a general quantity more than zero;
OR one chosen at random | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Let’s look at a couple examples!
Everyone needs to show their ticket before boarding.
→ 100% of people
You can go anywhere you want for vacation!
→ 1 place chosen at random
Nothing came in the mail today.
→ 0 things
Something in the fridge smells bad. It’s time to clean it out.
→ 1 thing
Unlike the indefinite pronouns we discussed above, you don’t need an antecedent or an of phrase with these pronouns.
Everywhere, anywhere, nowhere, and somewhere are usually used as adverbs that describe the location of something or the direction of movement (usually without a preposition):
Just put the box anywhere.
I dropped my keys somewhere, and now I can’t find them.
In fact, the indefinite pronouns in this group cannot be followed by an of phrase:
❌ Can anyone of the class to answer the question?
So if you do want to add some extra information, do it in another kind of descriptive phrases:
descriptive phrase
The company is looking for someone who can speak Spanish.
→ This indefinite pronoun is followed by a dependent clause.
Do you know anybody tall?
→ This indefinite pronoun is followed by an adjective.
We’re bored and can’t find anything to do.
→ This indefinite pronoun is followed by an infinitive.
Indefinite pronouns built from the words some, any, and no are restricted to certain kinds of sentences (positive, negative, or questions). For example, indefinite pronouns that start with no- are already negative, so you can’t use them in negative sentences:
✅ I don’t know anyone at the party.
✅ I know nobody at the party.
❌ I don’t know nobody at the party.
The indefinite pronouns that start with some-, any-, and no-, actually follow the same rules that the words some, any and no/none follow on their own. To learn more, have a look at our posts on no and none and our post on any and some!
Singular vs. plural indefinite pronouns
Some indefinite pronouns are singularNo definition set for singularLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., some are pluralNo definition set for pluralLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., and some can be either singular or plural based on the context! Let’s check out each kind of pronoun below!
Singular indefinite pronouns
These pronouns are usually used as singular, so when they are used as a subject, they take a singular verbNo definition set for verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.:
indefinite pronounsingular verb
Everyone takes the driver’s license test.
I have three dogs and one likes to play fetch.
I don’t care, either is fine.
We have two televisions, but neither works right now.
Remember that even if the pronoun is followed by of + plural noun, the pronoun is still singular:
indefinite pronounsingular verb
Each of the kids takes a turn on the swings.
Another of my coworkers is quitting.
Neither of my cats likes getting a bath.
I don’t care, either is fine.
We have two televisions, but neither works right now.
Plural indefinite pronouns
These pronouns are plural, so they take a plural verb:
... and numbers greater than one.
For example:
indefinite pronounsplural verb
I just finished reading the second book in that series. Both are really good!
Many know how to drive a manual car.
The players are really good. Several have scored a goal already.
Few kids who want to become astronauts make it into training, but fewer actually become astronauts.
Singular or plural indefinite pronouns
These pronouns can be either singular or plural, depending on if they’re referring to a count nounNo definition set for count nounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. or a mass nounNo definition set for mass nounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.:
When they refer to a count noun, they are plural:
indefinite pronouncount nounplural verb
All of the presenters were interesting!
Most of the students need help.
Some of the dogs have accidents inside the house.
But when they refer to a mass noun, they are singular:
indefinite pronounmass nounsingular verb
All of the cake was eaten.
Most of the class needs help with this activity.
Some of the wood is rotten.
Most of the nouns in the other two groups can only refer to mass nouns, can only refer to the amount of a mass noun, or can only refer to the quantity of a count noun:
Count nouns:
one, each, either, neither, both, few, fewer, many, others, several, another, cardinal numbers
Summary
In this post, we talked all about indefinite pronouns, but let’s do a quick summary to remember all the things you’ve learned:
Indefinite pronouns don’t refer to any one person or thing in particular.
Some common indefinite pronouns are some, several, all, either, and many more.
Some indefinite pronouns can be made from combining every-, any- no-, and some- with -body, -one, -thing, or -where.
Indefinite pronouns that need context can be followed by of prepositional phrases.
Indefinite pronouns that don’t need context can be followed by descriptive phrases.
Some indefinite pronouns are singular, some are plural, and some can be singular or plural depending on the context.
If you’re feeling more confident about using indefinite pronouns, check out our English indefinite pronoun activities to really show off your knowledge!
There are so many indefinite pronouns that it’s hard to discuss all of them in one post! So, if you’re interested in learning more about some specific indefinite pronouns, check out our posts on:
After reading all of these posts, you’ll be an expert in indefinite pronouns!
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