Chapter 12 - Indefinite Pronoun

Definition

Indefinite (not definite) are pronouns that refer to not specific (uncertainty) of person, place, thing and (1,2,3)

See compound word in table below

Thing / Information	Every	some	any	no
Thing	Everything	Something	Anything	nothing

Person	every	some	any	no
Body	Everybody	somebody	anybody	Nobody
One	Everyone	someone	anyone	No one

Note: body and one have same meaning, body in informal and one in normal form

Place	Every	some	any	no
Where	Everywhere	Somewhere	Anywhere	nowhere

to describe unsure the quantity of thing 

Little, less, few

Much, many, more

Any, some, several

enough

to describe unsure the quantity of person 

All

Most

Both

Another, others

none

Rules

Indefinite pronoun in positive, negative and interrogative sentences 

positive: placed before verb (as subject) or after verb (as adverb)

negative: placed after verb or atter preposition 

Interrogative: placed after object at end of sentence, after verb or modal at the beginning of sentence

Sentences	Some	Every	Any	No
Positive	· (1)	· (7)		· (11)
Negative		· (5)	· (9) (8)
Interrogative	∞ (4)	· (6)	· (10)

· = positive in grammar but have negative meaning

∞ = offer of request of something and we think the answer is YES 

Singular & Plural

remember that form of verb related to subject of the sentence

Note: Uncountable noun as single and Countable noun as singular

These pronouns act as singular subject: every, some, any, no, less, little, much, one, another, enough (12,13)

Note: in the second sentence (related to first one), singular indefinite pronoun to be plural (they, them, their, those) (14)

These pronouns act as plural subject: both, many, several, others and few (15)

These pronouns act as singular and plural subject: most, more, all, none, any, some (16, 17) 

Possessives, just add 's (18)

to show other person or other thing, just add else (19)

Examples

1. Somebody knocks my door  - you don't know who exactly knock your door

2. Indah would like go somewhere for healing - Indah doesn't decided yet where she want to go

3. Raymond will give something to her girlfriend - Raymond doesn't decided yet what he want to give

4. Do we have something to drink? - When we think the answer request is YES we use something in interrogative

5. Andy didn't believe everything Adam said - Andy didn't believe every information from Adam

6. Why do i see Avanza everywhere? - Avanza is everywhere on the street, why?

7. I would like to make a friends with anybody - it's wrong because anybody not in positive sentence, the correct one is I would like to make a friends with everybody

8. Just let me alone! I don't want to see anyone - anyone in negative

9. There isn't anything in my pocket - anyone in negative

10. Can anybody help me? - anybody in negative after modal verb

11. I opened the box but it was not nothing there, wrong because not can't place in positive sentence (makes double negative meaning). The correct one: ...but it was nothing there (it makes negative meaning in positive sentence) 

12. Are anything wrong with my car? - wrong because anything is singular, the verb must be singular. The correct sentence, Is anything wrong with my car?

13. less are better for you - wrong because less is singular, the verb must be singular. The correct verb to be use: Is. Less is better for you

14. Everyone studies hard for exam. They were sleep late at night - singular 'everyone' become plural 'they' in second sentence

14. I didn't see anyone at class so I went out find them - singular 'anyone' become plural ;them' in second sentence

15. Both is beauty - wrong both is plural so the correct one: both are beauty

16. Most of advice are perfect - wrong because advise is uncountable noun so the correct one: most of advise is perfect

17. Most of the cars are expensive - cars is plural countable noun, verb are correct  

18. Here is advise to change someone's attitude - attitude of someone

19. Is there anything else to be discussed? - other thing to be discussed?