Indefinite pronoun
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to one or more unspecified beings, objects, or places.
Contents |
List of English indefinite pronouns
Note that many of these words can function as other parts of speech too, depending on context. For example, in many disagree with his views the word "many" functions as an indefinite pronoun, while in many people disagree with his views it functions as a quantifier (a type of determiner) that qualifies the noun "people". Example sentences in which the word functions as an indefinite pronoun are given.
Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. However, some of them can be singular in one context and plural in another. The most common indefinite pronouns are listed below, with examples, as singular, plural or singular/plural.
Notice that a singular pronoun takes a singular verb AND that any personal pronoun should also agree (in number and gender). Look at these examples:
Each of the players has a doctor. I met two girls. One has given me her phone number.
Similarly, plural pronouns need plural agreement: Many have expressed their views.
Table of indefinite pronouns
| Number | Type | Negative | Universal | Assertive existential | Elective existential* | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Person | no one (also no-one), nobody – No one/Nobody thinks that you are mean | everyone, everybody – Everyone/Everybody had a cup of coffee. | someone, somebody – Someone/Somebody should fix that. | anyone, anybody – Anyone/Anybody can see this. | one – One might see it that way. See also generic you. |
| Thing | nothing – Nothing is true. | everything – Everything is permitted | something – Something makes me want to dance. | anything – Anything can happen if you just believe. | ||
|
[Universal distributive:] | ||||||
| Dual | neither – In the end, neither was selected. | both – Both are guilty. | either – Either will do. | |||
| Plural |
| |||||
| Singular or plural | none – None of those people are related to me. | all – All is lost. | some – Some of the biscuits have been eaten. | any – Any will do. |
|
*The elective existential pronouns are often used with negatives (I can't see anyone), and in questions (Is anyone coming?).
List of quantifier pronouns
English has the following quantifier pronouns:
- Uncountable (thus, with a singular verb form)
- enough – Enough is enough.
- little – Little is known about this period of history.
- less – Less is known about this period of history.
- much – Much was discussed at the meeting.
- more – More is better. (Also countable plural; see there.)
- most – Most was rotten. (Usually specified, such as in most of the food.) (Also countable plural; see there.)
- plenty – Thanks, that's plenty.
- Countable, singular
- one – One has got through. (Often modified or specified, such as in a single one, one of them etc.)
- Countable, plural
- several – Several were chosen.
- few – Few were chosen.
- fewer – Fewer are going to church these days.
- many – Many were chosen.
- more – More were ignored. (Often specified, such as in more of us.) (Also uncountable, see there.)
- most – Most would agree. (Also uncountable, see there.)
Some people say that "none" should always take a singular verb, even when talking about countable nouns (e.g. five friends). They argue that "none" means "no one", and "one" is obviously singular. They say that "I invited five friends but none has come" is correct and "I invited five friends but none have come" is incorrect. Historically and grammatically there is little to support this view. "None" has been used for hundreds of years with both a singular and a plural verb, according to the context and the emphasis required.
Possessive forms
Some of the English indefinite pronouns above have possessive forms. These are made as for nouns, by adding 's, or just an apostrophe following a plural -s (see English possessive).
The most commonly encountered possessive forms of the above pronouns are:
- one's, as in "One should mind one's own business".
- those derived from the singular indefinite pronouns ending in -one or -body: nobody's, someone's, etc. (Those ending -thing can also form possessives, such as nothing's, but these are less common.)
- whoever's, as in "We used whoever's phone that is."
- those derived from other and its variants: the other's, another's, and the plural others': "We should not take others' possessions."
- either's, neither's
Note that most of these forms are identical to a form representing the pronoun plus -'s as a contraction of is or has. Hence someone's may also mean someone is or someone has, as well as serving as a possessive.
Compound indefinite pronouns
Two indefinite pronouns can sometimes be used in combination together.
- Examples: We should respect each other. People should love one another.
And they can also be made possessive by adding an apostrophe and s.
- Examples: We should respect each other's beliefs. We were checking each other's work.
See also
References
- Haspelmath, Martin. 1997. Indefinite pronouns. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
