Grammar
Indefinite pronouns: someone, anything, and nobody
Someone left a message. Did anyone call? Nobody answered. One small beginning changes what the sentence says about the person.
Choose an indefinite pronoun for a person or thing, then match some-, any-, every-, and no- to the meaning and sentence pattern.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Has anyone seen my notebook? /həz ˈeniwʌn siːn maɪ ˈnəʊtbʊk/
The short answer
Use an indefinite pronoun when the exact person or thing is unknown, unimportant, or included as a general group. Choose -one or -body for people and -thing for things. Then choose some-, any-, every-, or no- for the meaning of the sentence.
Someone has parked a bicycle by the gate.
Why it works: The speaker knows that a person did it but does not name that person. Someone refers to one unknown person.
4 more examples
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Did anyone save a copy of the schedule?
Anyone is natural in this open question about a person.
Not this:Did
someonesave a copy of the schedule? What changes: Someone suggests that the speaker thinks a particular person may have saved it. -
Everything on the table is ready for the workshop.
Everything includes all the relevant things, and it takes the singular verb is.
Not this:
Somethingon the table is ready for the workshop. What changes: Something refers to one unspecified thing, not the complete group. -
I could not find anything useful in the drawer.
Anything is used with the negative verb could not find.
Not this:I found
nothinguseful in the drawer. What changes: Nothing gives a similar negative meaning without adding not to the verb. -
If anybody needs a chair, they can take the spare one.
Anybody takes a singular verb, while singular they can refer back to an unknown person.
Not this:If
everybodyneeds a chair, they can take the spare ones. What changes: Everybody includes all people in the group, so one spare chair would not be enough.
Read the full guide
Start by asking two questions. Are you talking about a person or a thing? Then ask whether the sentence introduces one, asks about one, includes all, or says that there is none. Those choices lead you to a useful form before you worry about a small difference between someone and somebody.
Name an unknown person or thing
Use an indefinite pronoun when you do not say exactly who or what you mean. The ending tells you the category. Words ending in -one and -body refer to people. Words ending in -thing refer to things.
Someone is waiting near the entrance.
Someone means one person whose name is not given.
Something is making a clicking sound.
Something means one unspecified thing or event.
Which ending refers to a thing: -body or -thing?
Use -thing. Something, anything, everything, and nothing refer to things.
Choose the beginning by meaning
The beginning of the pronoun changes the meaning. Some- often introduces an unspecified person or thing. Any- is useful in open questions and negative clauses. Every- includes the whole group. No- says that the group is empty.
We need someone to check the address.
Some- introduces a person who can do the job.
Does anyone know the correct room?
Any- asks whether at least one person knows.
Which form means all the things in a group?
Use everything when the reference is to all the relevant things.
Use some- and any- with the sentence you have
Some- is common in affirmative statements. It also appears in offers and requests when the speaker expects that the answer may be yes. Any- is common in questions when the speaker does not expect a particular answer and in clauses with not, never, or another negative meaning.
There is something warm to drink in the kitchen.
Some- introduces an unspecified drink in an affirmative statement.
Have you seen anyone from the support team?
Anyone keeps the question open; the speaker does not point to a particular person.
Complete the negative sentence: 'I do not need ____ else today.'
Use anything. The negative verb do not need commonly takes an any- form.
Use every- and no- for total meaning
Every- includes each person or thing in the relevant group. No- means no person or no thing. Both forms usually take a singular verb, even when the meaning covers many people or things.
Everyone has a name tag.
Everyone includes each person, but has is singular.
Nothing seems out of place.
Nothing means that no thing seems unusual.
Which form says that no person replied to the email?
Use nobody or no one: Nobody replied to the email.
Avoid a second negative in standard English
Nobody, no one, and nothing already make the clause negative. In standard English, do not add not, never, or another negative word when you mean one negative idea. You can choose either a no- form with an affirmative verb or an any- form with a negative verb.
Nobody understood the final instruction.
Nobody already means that no person understood it.
The group did not understand anything about the final instruction.
The negative meaning comes from did not, so anything fits after it.
Choose the standard sentence: 'Nobody called' or 'Nobody did not call'?
Use Nobody called for one negative meaning.
Keep the verb singular and use singular they naturally
Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, somebody, and nothing normally take singular verbs: Everyone knows and Something is wrong. When you refer back to an unknown person, singular they is common and useful because it does not assume the person's gender.
If someone leaves a bag here, they should collect it before closing time.
Someone takes the singular verb leaves. They later refers to that unknown person.
Everybody is welcome if they register first.
Is agrees with everybody, while they refers back to people in the group.
Choose the verb: 'Everything ___ ready.'
Use is. Everything normally takes a singular verb.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose a people word ending in -one or -body, or a thing word ending in -thing. Use some- to introduce or expect one, any- in many questions and negatives, every- for all, and no- for none. Keep the verb singular after these pronouns, and do not put another negative with nobody, no one, or nothing in standard English.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Indefinite pronouns: someone, anything, and nobody"
What are indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things without naming them exactly. Someone, anyone, everyone, and nobody refer to people. Something, anything, everything, and nothing refer to things. They help you describe an unknown person or thing, a whole group, or an absence.
Someone has parked a bicycle by the gate.
When should I use someone and anyone?
Use someone in many affirmative statements and in questions that suggest you expect a particular person. Use anyone in open questions and negative clauses. For example, someone may introduce an unknown helper, while anyone asks whether at least one person can help.
No one has parked a bicycle by the gate.
Do indefinite pronouns take a singular or plural verb?
They normally take a singular verb: Everyone is here, Somebody knows, and Nothing works. Their meaning can include many people or things, but the grammar form is usually singular. A later pronoun can still be singular they when it refers to an unknown person.
Did anyone save a copy of the schedule?
What is the difference between nobody and not anybody?
Both can express a negative meaning. Nobody arrived means that no person arrived. Did not see anybody means that a person saw no one. In standard English, avoid putting another negative with nobody, no one, or nothing when you mean one negative idea.
Did someone save a copy of the schedule?
Are someone and somebody different?
Someone and somebody usually have the same meaning. The same applies to anyone and anybody, everyone and everybody, and no one and nobody. Forms ending in -one are somewhat more common in formal writing, while -body forms are frequent in conversation.
Everything on the table is ready for the workshop.