What are Indefinite Pronouns? (with Examples)
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.
Like all pronouns, an indefinite pronoun is a substitute for a noun.
Examples of Indefinite Pronouns
Here are some examples of indefinite pronouns (italics):
- A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read. (Mark Twain, 1835-1910)
- Of those who say nothing, few are silent. (Thomas Neill)
- Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else. (Will Rogers, 1879-1935)
- Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money. (Arthur Miller, 1915-2005)
- I don’t know anything about music. In my line, you don’t have to. (Elvis Presley, 1935-1977)
Do not confuse indefinite pronouns with indefinite determiners (also called quantifiers or, in traditional grammar, indefinite adjectives). Here’s the difference: An indefinite pronoun stands alone. An indefinite determiner modifies a noun or a pronoun. Here are some examples with indefinite determiners (bold) and indefinite pronouns (italics).
- Some people have so much respect for their superiors they have none left for themselves. (Playwright George Bernard Shaw)
- Each one of us alone is worth nothing. (Revolutionary Che Guevara)
(Indefinite determiners can even modify indefinite pronouns.)
More about Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural. Here’s a list:
- Always Singular. another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, enough, everybody, everyone, everything, less, little, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, and something.
- Always Plural. both, few, fewer, many, others, and several.
- Singular or Plural. all, any, more, most, none, some, and such.
The Difference between Indefinite Pronouns and Indefinite Adjectives
When a word like all, any, anyone, etc. is used as an adjective, it is known as an indefinite adjective. (In the examples below, the indefinite pronouns are italics.)
- All in the lobby must remain seated.
(This is an indefinite pronoun.)
- All personnel in the lobby must remain seated.
(This is an indefinite adjective. It modifies personnel.)
- Please take some to Mrs Chandler.
(indefinite pronoun)
- Please take some lemons to Mrs Chandler.
(This is an indefinite adjective. It modifies lemons.)
Indefinite Pronouns Singular or Plural?
The biggest issue with indefinite pronouns is determining whether they are singular or plural. Here is a list:
| Singular Indefinite Pronoun | Plural Indefinite Pronoun | Indefinite Pronouns Which Can be Singular or Plural |
| Another
Anybody Anyone Anything Each Either Enough Everybody Everyone Everything Less Little Much Neither Nobody No-one Nothing One Other Somebody Someone Something |
Both
Few Fewer Many Others Several |
All
Any More Most None Some Such |
Why Should I Care about Indefinite Pronouns?
There are four common issues related to indefinite pronouns.
(Issue 1) None can be singular or plural.
Your retiring English teacher might tell you that none is always singular, but that’s outdated. None can be singular or plural.
- None of the students is expected to get an A. ✔︎
- None of the students are expected to get As or Bs. ✔︎
If your none best translates as not one of, go singular. If it best translates not any of, go plural. That’s the usual advice given, but it’s not great because not any of sounds awkward, which steers writers away from going plural with none. Here’s some more-useful advice. Follow your instincts, but, if you’re still unsure, go singular.
There’s another factor. If you find yourself treating none as singular with a singular they or their (see Issue 4), go plural throughout.
- None of the students has done their homework. ✘ (untidy)
- (None is singular (hence has). Using their is acceptable, but it’s untidy.)
- None of the students have done their homework. ✔︎ (tidy)
- (None is plural (hence have). Using their is natural. This is tidy.)
(Issue 2) Either and neither are singular.
Even though the pronouns either and neither naturally refer to two things, treat them as singular.
- Either of the brothers are welcome to attend. ✘
- (Either is singular. It should be “is welcome to attend.”)
- Men’s anger about religion is like two men quarrelling over a lady neither of them care for. ✘ (1st Earl of Halifax Edward Wood)
- (Neither is singular. It should be “neither of them cares for.”)
(Issue 3) Some indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, some) can be singular or plural.
The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, and some are singular when they refer to something singular but plural when they refer to something plural.
- More of them were needed. ✔︎
- (Them is plural; therefore, were is correct.)
- More of it was needed. ✔︎
- (It is singular; therefore, was is correct.)
This point gets a little more complicated when the indefinite pronoun is used with a collective noun (e.g., crowd, team).
- Most of the crowd is leaving. ✔︎
- Most of the crowd are waving their national flags. ✔︎
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 (i.e., singular indefinite pronouns that represent people) are gender neutral, but it’s not always easy to keep that neutrality.
The singular indefinite pronouns that represent people (e.g., anyone, each, everyone, no one, nobody, someone) are gender neutral.
However, many other singular pronouns used for people (e.g., his, her, he, she) aren’t gender neutral.
We have the gender neutral it and its, but they’re not used for people. It’s a gap in English grammar, and it can cause problems.
- No one knows what he can do till he tries. (Latin writer Publilius Syrus)
(Why he? This also applies to women.)
- From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. (Revolutionary Karl Marx)
(Why his?)
This problem is easy to fix. There are two good options:
(Option 1) Reword and go “all plural.”
- People don’t know what they can do till they try. ✔︎
(Option 2) Treat they and their as singular.
- From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs. ✔︎ (acceptable)
AGH / Jan 2020