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Indefinite Pronouns

fisherman 2fisherman 3
Pronoun - Verb Agreement 

 

 

 

 

A Named Subject vs. an Indefinite Pronoun

Indefinite pronouns are words which replace nouns without specifying which noun they replace.

 

SUBJECT IS NAMED SUBJECT IS AN INDEFINITE PRONOUN

Tom caught twelve fish.

Someone caught twelve fish.

We all caught fish.

All caught fish.

Norman, Tom and I didn't give up.

Nobody gave up.

A fish got away.

One got away.

 

 

 

Singular Indefinite Pronouns


AFTER A NEGATIVE VERB

A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE VERB

AFTER A POSITIVE VERB

 

anybody

everybody

somebody

nobody

anyone 

everyone

someone 

no one

anything

everything

something

nothing

 

either 

 

neither

 

one /  another / each

little 

 

any (noncount noun)

all (noncount noun)

some (noncount noun)

none (noncount noun)

*much (used mainly in questions and negative sentences)

more / most (noncount nouns)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plural Indefinite Pronouns


AFTER A NEGATIVE VERB

A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE VERB

AFTER A POSITIVE VERB

 

both / several / others

few

any (count noun)

all (count noun)

some (count noun)

 

many / more / most (count nouns)

none (count noun)  (plural is informal)

 

 

chips

 

 

 

 

Indefinite Pronoun refers to self or other(s)
INDEFINITE PRONOUN REFERS TO SELF INDEFINITE PRONOUN REFERS TO OTHER THAN SELF

Everyone took his potato chips. (Each person had his own personal bag.)

Everyone took my potato chips. (They took my chips.)

 

Everyone took their potato chips.(They took chips from another group.)

 

Everyone took our potato chips. (They took chips belonging to us.)

 

Everyone took his potato chips. (They took chips belonging to some other guy.)

 

Everyone took her potato chips. (They took chips belonging to some other woman.)

 

 

 

 

Indefinite Pronoun vs. Expression of Quantity Agreement
INDEF PRN POSSESSIVE PRONOUN EXPRESSION OF QUANTITY POSSESSIVE PRONOUN

A singular pronoun is used when the indefinite pronoun refers to itself and is a single person or item.

A plural pronoun is used when the indefinite pronoun refers to itself and more than one person or item.  The pronoun agrees with closest noun in the quantity phrase.

Everyone

has his pole.

All of              the fishermen

fry their (own) fish for dinner.

Each

has his hat on.

Some of        us

invite our wives on trips. (refers to the individuals)

One

caught her first fish.

Some of        the group

likes its organization. (refers to the group)

Each

brought his own lunch.

Some of        the group

like their privacy. (refers to the individuals)

Another

caught his limit

Half of           you

catch your "limit".

Everybody

has her hopes high. (if all are females)

Ten percent of the the fish

have old hook marks on their mouths.

Nobody

has his pole ready.               

None of         the fish

had eggs in their bodies.

None

has eggs in its body.  (a fish)

A number of the fishermen

were proud of their catches.

mover over   singular pronoun matched with possessive pronoun

mover over     plural pronoun matched with possessive pronoun

 

Also see:  Quantity Phrs

 

 

 

"Everyone's" Problem - Gender Neutral Phrasing

Objections to 'gender preference' in our English language has affected pronoun choice. Many speakers feel awkward choosing a masculine pronoun to refer to both genders.

 

PROBLEM  SOLUTIONS

Everyone had their hat.
The pronoun and noun do not agree in number.

Everyone had his hat.  Use "his" for both genders - formal but awkward.
Everyone had her hat.   Specify gender for all females.
Everyone had their hatsUse plural form to be gender neutral (neither masculine nor fe mine) and the plural noun form - informal to formal use.
 

Everyone must file his income tax by April 15.
Only men have to file their taxes?

Everyone must file his or her income tax by April 15.
Conventions are formed with time and this one is not decided yet.

 

Also see Gender Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

bathtubPractice

 

 

Choose the pronouns that best complete(s) the sentence. An asterisk * indicates an incorrect choice.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE FEEDBACK
1.   Have you taken ____ bath today?
  a.  
  b.   
  c.    
  d.      
2. All of us had to take ___ baths at night.  
 
 
 
 
3. Most of us wanted to take ___ later in the evening.
 
 
 
  man playing with rubber ducky
4.  None of the children forgot ___ towel.
 
 
 
 
5.  Anyone could take ___ time and lock the bathroom door.
 
 
 
 
6. Some of us forgot to brush ___ teeth.
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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