What Are Indefinite Pronouns? Definition, Types, Rules

Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to nonspecific people or things. Unlike personal pronouns, they don’t point to any particular noun. Common examples include someone, anything, few, and all. Understanding how to use them correctly is essential for clear and effective communication. In this blog, we’ll explore the definition, rules, examples, and practice exercises to help you master the use of indefinite pronouns in everyday English.

Definition of Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to people, places, or things without specifying exactly who or what. Unlike personal pronouns like he, she, or they, indefinite pronouns are more general.

Example of Indefinite Pronouns

Here are some examples with their sentence to understand the Indefinite Pronouns: 

Someone	Someone left their phone on the table.
Nobody	Nobody knows the answer.
Everything	Everything will be alright.

Check out: What are Pronouns? Check Definition, Classification, Types

Rules for Using Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns may seem simple at first, but there are a few important English grammar rules to keep in mind when using them. These rules help ensure subject-verb agreement, prevent confusion, and keep your sentences grammatically correct. Let’s look at the most important ones:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

One of the most common mistakes with indefinite pronouns is using the wrong verb form. This is because some of these are singular, some are plural, and a few can be both, depending on the context.

• Singular Pronouns take singular verbs. These include:
  everyone, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, each, either, neither, everything, something, anything, nothing.
  Example: Everyone is ready.
  Example: Nothing matters more than your happiness.
• Plural Pronouns take plural verbs. These include:
  few, many, several, both.
  Example: Many are interested in the program.
  Example: Few have applied for the scholarship.
• Pronouns that can be Singular or Plural depending on what they refer to:
  all, any, none, some, most.
  Example (singular): All of the milk is gone. (milk = uncountable)
  Example (plural): All of the students are present. (students = countable)

2. Avoid Double Negatives

Another important rule is to avoid using two negative words in the same sentence. Indefinite pronouns like nothing, nobody, no one, etc., are already negative. Using another negative word like not or don’t with them makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.

Incorrect: I don’t know nothing about it.
Correct: I don’t know anything about it.
Correct: I know nothing about it.

3. Use Singular Pronouns with Singular Possessive Forms

When using indefinite pronouns like everyone or someone, they are singular, even though they may refer to more than one person. So their corresponding possessive pronouns should also be singular.

Correct: Everyone should bring his or her ID card.
Gender-neutral option: Everyone should bring their ID card. (in casual or modern usage)

Using their as a singular possessive pronoun is now widely accepted, especially in informal or gender-inclusive writing.

4. Be Consistent

When using indefinite pronouns in writing, stay consistent in number and form throughout the sentence or paragraph. Mixing up singular and plural forms can confuse the reader.

Incorrect: Each of the players are proud of their achievement. (Mismatch in verb and pronoun)
Correct: Each of the players is proud of his or her achievement.

Read more: What are Reciprocal Pronouns: Definition, Examples

List of Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both depending on the context. Let’s explore the different categories and examples through the following tables.

Indefinite Pronouns Referring to People

This group includes pronouns that are used when referring to people in a general or unspecified way. Some are always singular, some plural, and others depend on the context.

Singular	Plural	Both (Context-Based)
anyone	many	all
anybody	few	some
someone	several	any
somebody	both	none
everyone		most
everybody
no one
nobody
each
either
neither

Example Sentences:

• Somebody is waiting for you. (Singular)
• Few were prepared for the test. (Plural)
• All are welcome. (Depends on context)

Indefinite Pronouns Referring to Things

These pronouns are used to refer to unspecified objects or ideas. Like with people, some are always singular, while others can be either singular or plural depending on the situation.

Singular	Context-Based
something	all
anything	some
everything	any
nothing	none
each	most
either
neither

Example Sentences:

• Is there anything I can help with?
• Nothing makes sense right now.
• All of the juice is finished. (Uncountable – singular)
• All of the books are gone. (Countable – plural)

Also Read: What is Subject Pronoun? Definition, Types and Examples

Indefinite Pronouns Exercise

Try these exercises to test your understanding of indefinite pronouns!

1. _____left their jacket on the chair. (someone/somebody/anyone)
2. There isn’t_____ in the room. (anyone/nobody/everyone)
3. ____ student in the class has to complete the assignment. (Each/Some/Few)
4. I think____ is knocking at the door. (anything/someone/everything)
5. ___ of the books on the shelf belong to me. (All/Neither/Few)
6. _______ knows what happened at the meeting. (Anyone/Everyone/No one)
7. _______ can you tell me the correct answer? (Who/Anyone/Someone)
8. There is_____ I want to say to you. (something/anything/nothing)
9. _______of them is responsible for the project. (Each/Neither/Some)
10. We invited many people, but______ showed up. (all/no one/someone

Answers:

1. Someone 
2. anyone 
3. Each 
4. someone
5. All 
6. No one 
7. Anyone 
8. something 
9. Each 
10. no one 

Also Read: Pronoun Exercise with Answers

FAQs

Related Reads

What is Subject Pronoun?	Subject Pronouns Exercises
What are Relative Pronouns?	Relative Pronoun Exercises
What are Reflexive Pronouns?	Reflexive Pronoun Exercise
What are Reciprocal Pronouns?	Subject Pronouns Exercises
First, Second and Third Person Pronouns	Personal Pronoun Exercises

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