Indefinite Pronoun

A pronoun can be considered as a substitute for a noun. To put it simply, a pronoun is a word that functions as a noun phrase and represents someone or something mentioned in the discourse. To understand indefinite pronouns, a general understanding of pronouns is much needed. Indefinite pronouns are a type of pronoun which does not refer to anything specific. It is vague. 

In this article, we will discuss indefinite pronouns, their usage, and their meanings. 

Indefinite Pronouns Definition And Examples 

An indefinite pronoun is a type of pronoun which is used when something or someone does not need to be specifically identified. As stated earlier, these pronouns are vague. Indefinite pronouns do not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. It can be easily said that these pronouns are used when something does not require a specific demarcation. Some examples of typical indefinite pronouns are - all, another, any, anybody/anyone, anything, each, everybody/everyone, everything, few, many, nobody, none, one, several, some, somebody/someone.

(Image will be uploaded soon)

Indefinite Pronouns - Singular or Plural 

Indefinite pronouns can be both singular and plural. Most of the indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. However, some indefinite pronouns can be both singular and plural based on the context. It should be noted that a singular pronoun takes a singular verb. In the case of plural pronouns, it requires a plural agreement. Let us take a look at some examples -  

“Each of the teams has a doctor”.

“Many have expressed their views on the upcoming election”.

“Nobody knows what I have seen”.

In the above sentences, “each”,” many”, “nobody” is the indefinite pronouns. It is quite clear from these examples that indefinite pronouns can be both singular and plural. Also, it is to be noted that these pronouns take up singular verbs when they function as a subject or a clause. 

Some singular indefinite pronouns are - another, anybody/anything, either, everybody, everything, etc. Some of the plural indefinite pronouns are both, few, many, others, several, etc. Some pronouns like all, any, more, most, some, such, etc., can act as both singular and plural depending on the context.

List of Indefinite Pronouns 

There are quite a lot of indefinite pronouns. It is better to list some of them along with a suitable example of their use in a sentence. 

• Another - “The burger was good. Can I have another"? 

• Each - “Each has his own opinions”.

• Anybody - “Can anybody figure out the problem"?

• Anything - “You can bring me anything”.

• Everybody - “We can start the presentation as everybody has arrived”.

• Everything - “They have lost everything”.

• Little - “We know very little about that man”.

• Both - “You must attend both the events”.

• Few - “The meeting was attended by few”.

• Many - “Many have already joined”.

• They - “They claim that exercise is good for your health”.

• Some- “Some are good at coding”.

This is a brief, indefinite pronouns list along with an example. This list consists of some of the most used indefinite pronouns. Apart from these, a lot of indefinite pronouns also exist and are extensively used.

Use of Indefinite Pronouns in Affirmative and Negative Sentences 

These types of pronouns are used extensively to create affirmative and negative sentences. In the case of affirmative sentences, the pronouns with “some” and “ every” is generally used. Pronouns with some are used to denote an indefinite quantity. While pronouns with every are used to denote a definite quantity. Some examples are - 

“Everyone is playing football”.

“Someone is playing football”.

The indefinite pronouns containing “any” are used to create negative sentences. Some such pronouns are anything, anybody, etc. Let us look at some examples - 

“I don’t have anything to drink”.

“I don’t have any money with me”.