"Anybody" redirects here. For the Young Thug song, see Anybody (song).
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun which does not have a specific familiar referent. Indefinite pronouns are in contrast to definite pronouns.
Indefinite pronouns can represent either count nouns or noncount nouns. They often have related forms across these categories: universal (such as everyone, everything), assertive existential (such as somebody, something), elective existential (such as anyone, anything), and negative (such as nobody, nothing).[1]
Many languages distinguish forms of indefinites used in affirmative contexts from those used in non-affirmative contexts. For instance, English "something" can be used only in affirmative contexts while "anything" is used otherwise.[2]
Indefinite pronouns are associated with indefinite determiners of a similar or identical form (such as every, any, all, some). A pronoun can be thought of as replacing a noun phrase, while a determiner introduces a noun phrase and precedes any adjectives that modify the noun. Thus all is an indefinite determiner in "all good boys deserve favour" but a pronoun in "all are happy".
Most indefinite pronouns correspond to discretely singular or plural usage. However, some of them can entail singularity in one context and plurality in another. Pronouns that commonly connote indefiniteness are indicated below, with examples as singular, plural, or singular/plural usage.
all – All is lost; all are where they're supposed to be.
such – Such is life.
what – What is that? What are they? who – Who is that? Who are they?
any – Any will do.
whatever – Take whatever you like.
^Elective existential pronouns are often used with negatives (I can't see anyone), while dubitative existential pronouns are used in questions when there is doubt as to the existence of the pronoun's assumed referent (Is anybody here a doctor?).
^Some traditional style guides[who?] state that "none" should always be treated as singular, but the plural sense is well established and widely accepted.
little – Little is known about this period of history.
less – Less is known about this period of history.
much – Much was discussed at the meeting.
more (also countable, plural) – More is better.
most (also countable, plural) – Most was rotten. (Usually specified, such as in most of the food.)
plenty – Thanks, that's plenty.
Countable, singular
one – One has got through. (Often modified or specified, such as in a single one, one of them, etc.)
Countable, plural
several – Several were chosen.
few – Few were chosen.
fewer – Fewer are going to church these days.
many – Many were chosen.
more (also uncountable) – More were ignored. (Often specified, such as in more of us.)
most (also uncountable) – Most would agree.
Possessive forms
Some of the English indefinite pronouns above have possessive forms. These are made as for nouns, by adding 's or just an apostrophe following a plural -s (see English possessive).
The most commonly encountered possessive forms of the above pronouns are:
one's, as in "One should mind one's own business."
those derived from the singular indefinite pronouns ending in -one or -body: nobody's, someone's, etc. (Those ending -thing can also form possessives, such as nothing's, but these are less common.)
whoever's, as in "We used whoever's phone that is."
those derived from other and its variants: the other's, another's, and the plural others': "We should not take others' possessions."
either's, neither's
Most of these forms are identical to a form representing the pronoun plus -'s as a contraction of is or has. Hence someone's may also mean someone is or someone has, as well as serving as a possessive.
Compound indefinite pronouns
Two indefinite pronouns can sometimes be used in combination together.
Examples: We should respect each other. People should love one another.
And they can also be made possessive by adding an apostrophe and s.
Examples: We should respect each other's beliefs. We were checking each other's work.
See also
One (pronoun) – English language, gender-neutral, indefinite pronoun
Generic you – Use of the pronoun you to refer to an unspecified person
^Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press. pp. 822–824. ISBN9780521431460.
Look up indefinite pronoun in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Using Indefinite Pronouns
January 13, 2023
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Anybody redirects here For the Young Thug song see Anybody song This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Indefinite pronoun news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun which does not have a specific familiar referent Indefinite pronouns are in contrast to definite pronouns Indefinite pronouns can represent either count nouns or noncount nouns They often have related forms across these categories universal such as everyone everything assertive existential such as somebody something elective existential such as anyone anything and negative such as nobody nothing 1 Many languages distinguish forms of indefinites used in affirmative contexts from those used in non affirmative contexts For instance English something can be used only in affirmative contexts while anything is used otherwise 2 Indefinite pronouns are associated with indefinite determiners of a similar or identical form such as every any all some A pronoun can be thought of as replacing a noun phrase while a determiner introduces a noun phrase and precedes any adjectives that modify the noun Thus all is an indefinite determiner in all good boys deserve favour but a pronoun in all are happy Contents 1 Table of English indefinite pronoun usage 1 1 Table of indefinite pronouns 1 2 List of quantifier pronouns 1 3 Possessive forms 2 Compound indefinite pronouns 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksTable of English indefinite pronoun usage EditMost indefinite pronouns correspond to discretely singular or plural usage However some of them can entail singularity in one context and plurality in another Pronouns that commonly connote indefiniteness are indicated below with examples as singular plural or singular plural usage Table of indefinite pronouns Edit Number Type Negative Universal Assertive existential Elective Dubitative existential a Singular Person no one also no one nobody No one Nobody thinks that you are mean everyone everybody Everyone Everybody had a cup of coffee one One might see it that way See also generic you someone somebody Someone Somebody should fix that anyone anybody Anyone Anybody can see this whoever b nominative case whomever b lower alpha 2 oblique case Whoever did this Give this to whomever you wish See also who Thing nothing Nothing is true none Spare change Sorry I have none everything Everything is permitted Universal distributive each From each according to his ability to each according to his need something Something makes me want to dance this This is good anything Anything can happen if you just believe whichever Choose whichever is better See also ever Place nowhere This student is going nowhere fast everywhere Spiders are found everywhere on Earth somewhere Somewhere Over the Rainbow anywhere I m willing to go anywhere wherever Sit wherever you d like Time when When is the best time to come Dual neither In the end neither was selected either Either will do Plural others Others can worry about that some most Some of the biscuits were eaten but most were still there Singular or plural none None of those people is related to me c all All is lost all are where they re supposed to be such Such is life what What is that What are they who Who is that Who are they any Any will do whatever Take whatever you like Elective existential pronouns are often used with negatives I can t see anyone while dubitative existential pronouns are used in questions when there is doubt as to the existence of the pronoun s assumed referent Is anybody here a doctor a b Archaic forms are whosoever whomsoever Some traditional style guides who state that none should always be treated as singular but the plural sense is well established and widely accepted List of quantifier pronouns Edit English has the following quantifier pronouns Uncountable thus with a singular verb form enough Enough is enough little Little is known about this period of history less Less is known about this period of history much Much was discussed at the meeting more also countable plural More is better most also countable plural Most was rotten Usually specified such as in most of the food plenty Thanks that s plenty Countable singularone One has got through Often modified or specified such as in a single one one of them etc Countable pluralseveral Several were chosen few Few were chosen fewer Fewer are going to church these days many Many were chosen more also uncountable More were ignored Often specified such as in more of us most also uncountable Most would agree Possessive forms Edit Some of the English indefinite pronouns above have possessive forms These are made as for nouns by adding s or just an apostrophe following a plural s see English possessive The most commonly encountered possessive forms of the above pronouns are one s as in One should mind one s own business those derived from the singular indefinite pronouns ending in one or body nobody s someone s etc Those ending thing can also form possessives such as nothing s but these are less common whoever s as in We used whoever s phone that is those derived from other and its variants the other s another s and the plural others We should not take others possessions either s neither sMost of these forms are identical to a form representing the pronoun plus s as a contraction of is or has Hence someone s may also mean someone is or someone has as well as serving as a possessive Compound indefinite pronouns EditTwo indefinite pronouns can sometimes be used in combination together Examples We should respect each other People should love one another And they can also be made possessive by adding an apostrophe and s Examples We should respect each other s beliefs We were checking each other s work See also EditOne pronoun English language gender neutral indefinite pronoun Generic you Use of the pronoun you to refer to an unspecified person English personal pronouns Closed lexical category of the English language English grammar Pronouns Numeral linguistics Word or phrase which describes a numerical quantityReferences Edit Quirk et al 1985 pp 376 377 Huddleston Rodney Pullum Geoffrey 2002 The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language Cambridge University Press pp 822 824 ISBN 9780521431460 Bibliography EditQuirk Randolph Greenbaum Sidney Leech Geoffrey Svartvik Jan 1985 A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language Harlow Longman pp 376 392 ISBN 9780582517349 Haspelmath Martin 1997 Indefinite pronouns Oxford Clarendon External links Edit Look up indefinite pronoun in Wiktionary the free dictionary Using Indefinite Pronouns Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Indefinite pronoun amp oldid 1133295783, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
