Indefinite Pronouns - Definition, Rules and Examples

Indefinite pronouns, as the name suggests, do not refer to a specific person, place or thing, but rather they represent some nonspecific person, place or thing. An indefinite pronoun is used to refer to people, places or things without exactly saying who or which these people, places or things are. 

The most common indefinite pronouns are: anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere, somebody, someone, something, somewhere, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere.

Go through the entire article to learn more about indefinite pronoun definition, types, rules, usages and examples. 

This article covers:

• Indefinite Pronouns: Definition and Meaning
• Indefinite Pronoun Examples
• Examples of Indefinite Pronouns in Sentences 
• Indefinite Pronouns Types
• Singular Indefinite Pronouns
• Plural Indefinite Pronouns
• Rules of Indefinite Pronouns
• Indefinite Pronouns Exercises 
• FAQs - Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns: Definition and Meaning

Cambridge Dictionary states, "We use -body, -one, -thing, -where to refer to people, places and things in a general way."

British Council states about indefinite pronouns, "We use indefinite pronouns to refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what they are. We use pronouns ending in -body or -one for people, and pronouns ending in -thing for things.".

According to the definitions above, an indefinite pronoun is:

• A pronoun that consists of -body, -one, -thing, -where.
• A pronoun that starts with every, some, any and no resulting in everybody, someone, anything, nowhere. 
• A pronoun that refers to people, places or things in general.
• A pronoun that consists of -body and -one which is used for people, consists of -thing which is used for things and consists of -where which is used for places.

Indefinite Pronoun Examples

• Anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere, somebody, someone, something, somewhere, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere, other, another, each, either, neither, one, much
• Both, several, few, many, others
• All, some, none, more, most.

Examples of Indefinite Pronouns in Sentences 

a. Is there anybody in the room?

b. Much has been said about it.

c. Both are guilty.

d. All is well that ends well. 

e. All are present in the class.

Indefinite Pronouns Types

Indefinite pronouns are categorized into two types based on number and use: 

1. Indefinite pronouns based on number: This category of indefinite pronouns has the following three subtypes:

• Singular Indefinite Pronouns: singular indefinite pronouns require a singular verb. Singular indefinite pronouns are anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere, somebody, someone, something, somewhere, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere, other, another, each, either, neither, one, much.
• Plural Indefinite Pronouns: Plural indefinite pronouns require plural verbs. Plural indefinite pronouns include both, several, few, many, others.

• Indefinite Pronouns Used as Singular and Plural: This type of indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural depending on the context. Singular-plural indefinite pronouns are all, more, most, some and none.

2. Indefinite pronoun based on use: This category of indefinite pronouns has the following four subtypes:

• Indefinite pronouns referring to people: everybody, everyone, somebody, someone, nobody, no one, anybody, anyone.
• Indefinite pronouns referring to places: everywhere, somewhere, anywhere, nowhere.
• Indefinite pronouns referring to things: everything, something, anything, nothing.
• Mixed indefinite pronouns: other, another, each, either, neither, one, much, both, several, few, many, others.

Rules of Indefinite Pronouns

The rules given below are the general observations that you need to keep in mind when using these indefinite pronouns to avoid the incorrect usage of these pronouns.

Rule 1. Singular, plural and mixed indefinite pronouns will use the verb accordingly. That is, singular indefinite pronouns will use singular verbs, plural indefinite pronouns will use plural verbs and mixed indefinite pronouns will use either singular or plural verbs depending on the context. 

Examples: 

a. Everyone has gone.

b. Many have gone.

c. All (condition or matter) is well that ends well. (and) All (people) have gone.

Rule 2. Use the indefinite pronouns ending in -body in informal situations and those ending in -one in formal situations. 

Examples:

a. Has everyone submitted the assignment? (formal situation: you as a teacher)

b. Has everybody come? (informal situation: you among your friends)

Rule 3. When we refer back to the indefinite pronouns used for people, we use the plural pronoun "they", and the same is done in the case of tag questions.

Examples:

a. Everybody enjoyed the concert. They stood up and clapped. (British Council)

b. Everyone is here, aren't they?

Rule 4. Use anybody, anyone, anything and anywhere in negative and interrogative sentences and somebody, someone, something and somewhere in positive sentences.

Examples:

a. I did not anybody/anyone/anything anywhere. (negative sentence)

b. Will anybody/anyone/anything go anywhere? (interrogative sentence)

c. I saw somebody/someone/something somewhere. (positive sentence)

Rule 5. Use the possessive pronouns "his or her" or "their" with the indefinite pronouns that refer to people.

Examples:

a. Everybody/everyone has left for his or her/their house.

b. Somebody/someone has left his or her/their phone here.

Rule 6. Use a singular verb or a plural verb with singular-plural indefinite pronouns accordingly. That is, when these indefinite pronouns refer to an uncountable singular noun, a singular verb is used, and when they refer to a plural countable noun, a plural verb is used. 

Examples:

a. All is well that ends well. (matter, situation, condition)

b. All have gone. (people or things)

Rule 7. Add -'s to indefinite pronouns to make them possessives.

Examples:

a. Somebody's pen is left here. 

b. Will you like anybody's cat here?

Indefinite Pronouns Exercises 

Question 1. Select the indefinite pronouns in the below-given sentences.

a. Someone is calling you.

b. I am not going anywhere.

c. No one loves me.

d. All is well that ends well.

e. All are welcome.

Question 2. Select which of the following sentences are incorrect.

a. Everybody is busy doing his work.

b. Someone left their pen there.

c. Did you find someone here?

d. Would you like something to eat?

e. Is there someone in the room?

FAQs - Indefinite Pronouns

What is the definition of indefinite pronouns?

An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to people, places or things in a nonspecific way without exactly telling who or which these people, places or things are.

Indefinite pronoun singular or plural?

Some indefinite pronouns such as anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere, somebody, someone, something, somewhere, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere, other, another, each, either, neither, one, much are singular and require singular verbs, some of them such as both, several, few, many, others are plural and require plural verbs and some of them such as all, more, most, some and none cab be both singular and plural depending on the context. 

What are the 17 indefinite pronouns?

Here are the 17 indefinite pronouns: all, anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere, somebody, someone, something, somewhere, everybody, everyone, everything, everywhere, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere.

What are 10 sentences using indefinite pronouns?

a. Everybody is busy doing his or her work.

b. Someone left their pen there.

c. Did you find anyone here?

d. Would you like to have anything?

e. Is there anyone in the room?

f. Is there anything in the lab?

g. Much has been said about it.

h. Both are guilty.

i. All is well that ends well. 

j. All are present in the class.