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how do you use indefinite pronouns

by Alden Hirthe IV Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Examples of indefinite pronouns in sentences include:

  • Can anyone help me? ("Anyone" could be your dad, a neighbor, a teacher, and so on.)
  • Nothing is good enough for Roger. ("Nothing" replaces any unknown noun that Roger doesn't like.)
  • I'll eat either for breakfast. ("Either" replaces two options that we don't know.)
  • Both are great choices to wear tonight. ...
  • We've picked out several and will show you tomorrow. ...

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: Everybody enjoyed the concert. I opened the door but there was no one at home.

Full Answer

What is an example of an indefinite pronoun?

… The following indefinite pronouns are always singular:

  • one.
  • anyone, everyone, no one, someone.
  • anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody.
  • another, the other.
  • either, neither.
  • each.
  • little, less.
  • much.

Is he or she is indefinite pronouns:?

Unlike personal pronouns ( e.g. he, she, they), indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific person or thing already named. They are indefinite words like someone, others, several or few. How do you use indefinite pronouns? We use indefinite pronouns to refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what they are.

Is indefinite singular or plural?

When used with a collective noun, an indefinite pronoun is singular if you envisage it representing a single body but plural if you envisage it representing individuals. (Issue 4) Words like "someone" and "anyone" are gender neutral, but it can be tough to maintain that neutrality.

What is the meaning of definite and indefinite?

The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known. How do you choose between definite and indefinite articles?

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How can we use indefinite pronouns?

Indefinite pronouns with some and any are used to describe indefinite and incomplete quantities in the same way that some and any are used alone. Indefinite pronouns are placed in the same location as a noun would go in the sentence. I would like to go to Paris this summer. I would like to go somewhere this summer.

What is an indefinite pronoun and examples?

An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that doesn't specifically identify what it is referring to. For example, the word someone is an indefinite pronoun in the sentence Someone ate the last slice of pizza. We know that the pronoun someone refers to a human being but we don't know any other information about them.

What are 10 sentences using indefinite pronouns?

Examples of indefinite pronouns in sentences include:Can anyone help me? ("Anyone" could be your dad, a neighbor, a teacher, and so on.)Nothing is good enough for Roger. ... I'll eat either for breakfast. ... Both are great choices to wear tonight. ... We've picked out several and will show you tomorrow.

What are 5 indefinite pronouns?

An indefinite pronoun refers to a non-specific person or thing. The most common ones are: all, any, anyone, anything, each, everybody, everyone, everything, few, many, nobody, none, one, several, some, somebody, and someone.

How do you identify an indefinite pronoun?

The term indefinite pronouns means pronouns that do not refer to any person, amount, or thing. Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both, depending on the context.

Why is it called an indefinite pronoun?

Indefinite pronouns are those referring to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places. They are called “indefinite” simply because they do not indicate the exact object, being, or place to which they refer.

How many indefinite pronouns are there?

Score: ResetIndefinite PronounsSingularPluralanother each either much neither one otheranybody, anyone, anything everybody, everyone, everything nobody, no one, nothing somebody, someone, somethingboth few many others several

How do you use any pronoun?

In plural pronoun form, the preposition “of” often follows “any.” For example, the noun phrase “any of your books” uses “any” as a pronoun, which means “one or more” of “your books.” The question “Do you have any books left?” uses “any” as a determiner to specify whether the subject has more than one book in their ...

Why do we need to know 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: Everybody enjoyed the concert.

What are the two types of indefinite pronoun?

Types of indefinite pronouns fit two categories: those that are made up of two morphemes and are called compound pronouns, such as somebody, and those that are followed by the word of, called of-pronouns, such as all or many.

What is the difference between definite and indefinite pronoun?

A definite pronoun would be a pronoun that refers to something specific, so a personal pronoun would also be a definite pronoun. (Refer back to the Personal Pronouns page to see examples.) Indefinite pronouns do not refer to anything specific, so words like someone and everybody are indefinite pronouns.

Is every an indefinite pronoun?

But what about indefinite pronouns--such as all, any, both, each, every, few, many, neither, nobody, and none? They do not refer to a specific, definite person. Thus they are called "indefinite pronouns." The indefinite pronouns are a bit trickier than relative pronouns.

What is definite and indefinite pronoun?

A definite pronoun would be a pronoun that refers to something specific, so a personal pronoun would also be a definite pronoun. (Refer back to the Personal Pronouns page to see examples.) Indefinite pronouns do not refer to anything specific, so words like someone and everybody are indefinite pronouns.

What is a pronoun and give examples?

According to the Collins Dictionary, 'A pronoun is a word that you use to refer to someone or something when you do not need to use a noun, often because the person or thing has been mentioned earlier. Examples are 'it', 'she', 'something', and 'myself'.

What are the examples of plural indefinite pronouns?

Plural indefinite pronounsboth.few, fewer.many.others.several.

Is every an indefinite pronoun?

But what about indefinite pronouns--such as all, any, both, each, every, few, many, neither, nobody, and none? They do not refer to a specific, definite person. Thus they are called "indefinite pronouns." The indefinite pronouns are a bit trickier than relative pronouns.

What is an indefinite pronoun?

An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that is used to substitute nouns that are not specific.

What is the definition of an indefinite pronoun?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an indefinite pronoun as “a pronoun that does not refer to a specific person or thing.” According to the Oxf...

Give some examples of indefinite pronouns.

Any, each, nothing, no one, nobody, everyone, everybody, nothing, everything, someone, something, many, all, some, anyone, anything, anybody and an...

What are indefinite pronouns?

In English grammar, indefinite pronouns are substitute words for things that cannot be or simply are not wanted to be named exactly. So, they can be used instead of them or, more precisely, they can ‘ substitute ’ them.

What pronouns can be substituted for a person?

All in all, there are no differences in meaning between these two variants. Typical pronouns that can replace a person are: everybody, anybody, anyone, etc. Note: In terms of grammar, they are in the singular even if they denote several people.

Is "some" a pronoun?

Generally, indefinite pronouns refer to persons or things – which can also be in the plural . If this is the case, the words ‘some’ and ‘any’ often serve as a basis (for details, see the comparison ‘some & any’ ). In particular:

Is "everybody likes chocolate" in the third person singular?

This rule signifies that the verb must be conjugated in the third person singular: “ Everybody likes chocolate.”. Not: “Everybody like chocolate.”.

What is an indefinite pronoun?

Indefinite pronouns are those referring to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places. They are called “indefinite” simply because they do not indicate the exact object, being, or place to which they refer.

Can indefinite pronouns be determiners?

Many indefinite pronouns can also function as determiners. There are just two important rules for using indefinite pronouns correctly. Remember these and you will find that writing comes easier for you. Get Page and check your text using a unique Contextual Grammar and Spell Checker.

Is "get it now" a singular or plural pronoun?

Singular indefinite pronouns take a singular verb; plural indefinite pronouns take a plural verb.

How to distinguish between singular and plural indefinite pronouns?

Plural Indefinite Pronouns. One of the ways to distinguish between plural and singular indefinite pronouns is to check the verb usage. Plural indefinite pronouns always require a plural verb. Meanwhile, singular indefinite pronouns always require a singular verb. Let's take a look.

What replaces nouns in sentences?

Pronouns replace nouns in sentences. For example, if we said, " Alex went to the movies and Alex got popcorn," that would sound somewhat repetitive. It's much easier to read, " Alex went to the movies and he got popcorn." The pronoun he replaces the noun Alex.

Is "some" a singular or plural pronoun?

In fact, the indefinite pronouns " all ," " any ," " more ," " most ," " none ," and " some ," can be plural or singular, depending on how they're used in the sentence. A great way to get to the bottom of it is to see if the associated verb is plural or singular. Indeed, pronouns are an eclectic bunch. For a deeper dive, here's more on the various ...

Is "Alex" an indefinite pronoun?

Indefinite pronouns, on the other hand, take the place of a noun, but not a particular noun. In other words, the pronoun is there, but "Alex" is not. Below, you'll find examples of indefinite pronouns to help make this idea even clearer. We'll examine them according to their function as a plural or singular indefinite pronoun.

Is "everyone" a singular pronoun?

Some of the pronouns listed below are quite tricky. Everyone seems like it might be plural, right? Yet, any pronoun ending in -one is considered singular. Likewise, any pronoun ending in -body (like " everybody ") is considered singular.

Is "pronoun" an eclectic bunch?

Indeed, pronouns are an eclectic bunch. For a deeper dive, here's more on the various types of pronouns. There, you'll enjoy the wonders of personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, reflexive pronouns, and more.

Can anyone play the game of chess?

Anyone can play the game as long as they (plural) follow the rules.

What are some indefinite pronouns?

Assertive existential indefinite pronouns are: someone, someplace, somewhere, somebody, something, and some. Rather than pointing to a specific thing that you can remember, the pronouns with some are good to acknowledge there are pronouns that exist. However, you cannot necessarily point to a specific instance.

What is a quantifier pronoun?

Quantifier pronouns are used to define how many or how much of something there is. These include enough, little, less, much, more, most, plenty, one, several, few, fewer, many, more, and most. Little is known about this type of butterfly, but scientists are trying to study it more.

What is an indefinite pronoun?

An indefinite pronoun does not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. It is vague and "not definite". Some typical indefinite pronouns are:

Why can we start the meeting?

We can start the meeting because everybody has arrived.

What to say if you don't know the answer?

If you don't know the answer it's best to say nothing.

Is a singular pronoun a verb?

Notice that a singular pronoun takes a singular verb AND that any personal pronoun should also agree (in number and gender). Look at these examples:

Is "he has one job in the day" a pronoun?

He has one job in the day and another at night. (pronoun) Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. However, some of them can be singular in one context and plural in another. The most common indefinite pronouns are listed below, with examples, as singular, plural or singular/plural.

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But First, The Options

  • Now you know how to define indefinite pronoun, but could you identify one in a sentence? Next in our quest to know “what is an indefinite pronoun,”let’s review an indefinite pronouns listfor examples of this word type. Before you look at categories of each indefinite pronoun, let’s list m…
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Contemplating The Universal

  • Some indefinite pronounsare considered “universal.” To understand what “universal” means, take a look at this universal indefinite pronouns list:everyone, everybody, everything, both, all. What do these words have in common? They all indicate that some group is homogenous in some way.That sounds more complicated than it is, so let’s take a look at a couple of examples. 1. Eve…
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The Results Are Negative

  • In contrast to the above possibilities, there is another group of indefinite pronounsthat is used to indicate a universal negative, when a lack of “something” is the subject itself. 1. No oneagrees with Joe. In this sentence, no oneis the focus, conveying the absence of any being that performs the verb (in this case, the absence of anyone who is in agreement with Joe). 1. Noneof those opt…
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Assert Yourself

  • Sometimes, writers use a word that indicates a portion of some unspecified group or indicates a member of that group without specifying which one in particular (or when specification is not possible). 1. Somebodymust know where the file is. Somebodydenotes the idea that a person must know where the file is, but carries with it the understanding that readers (and the speaker) …
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Any and All…

  • Elective existential pronouns have the honor of the most complicated-sounding name, but they’re actually pretty easy to understand. These are used when writers want to identify any member of some group and apply some idea or verb to all of them individually. Writers use these words to indicate that it doesn’t matter which person, thing, etc., is substituted in, the result would still be …
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Pronoun Or adjective?

  • When we define indefinite pronoun, we include several words that can function as multiple parts of speech. Someof them can be either a pronoun or an adjective, depending on the context. Let’s take a look at an example to make it clear. 1. Someare happy. 2. Somepeople work very quickly. In the first sentence, somerefers to an indefinite set of beings who are happy not to tell us anythin…
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and The Rest

  • When discussing the question “what is an indefinite pronoun?,” you have to consider several words that don’t quite fit into any one category. In this group are words like whichever, this,and other.The key to identifying them is to understand that they do not refer to a clear antecedent. You can find more information on this page. 1. We’ll do whateverworks best. Whatever identifies an a…
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Review Questions

  1. What is an indefinite pronoun?
  2. Which of the following sentences contains an indefinite pronoun?
  3. Which of the following sentences contains an indefinite pronoun?
  4. In the following indefinite pronouns list,which indefinite pronounsare plural?
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1.What are Indefinite Pronouns? How do you use them?

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3.Videos of How Do You use Indefinite Pronouns

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