Using pronouns correctly eliminates unnecessary noun repetition in your writing. The most common indefinite pronouns are listed below, with examples, as singular, plural or singular plural. Whenever you use a personal pronoun like she, it, or they, you first have to have an antecedent, the word that the pronoun is replacing. Indefinite pronouns use the singular form of verbs like he, she, or it. Garners oxford dictionary of american usage and style 300303 2000. We also use an indefinite pronoun when making general statements or comments where a specific identity is immaterial. They is treated as plural as a legacy of a time before around halfway through the middle english period, when it was only used in a plural context. Pronouns a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun or noun phrase. An indefinite pronoun replaces a noun without referring to any person or thing in particular. An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to nonspecific beings, objects, or places. Gustavo slowed to the speed limit when he saw the police cruiser in the rearview mirror. We could go on at some length debating the use of the plural pronouns theytheirthem to refer to the distinctly singular everybody or other indefinite pronouns.
Complete the sentences below with the correct indefinite pronouns. Indefinite pronouns take the place of a group or a collective. This is a worksheet for beginners, with a short explanation on the use of indefinite pronouns something, somebody, someone, everything, everybody, everyone, nothing, nobody, no one, anything, anybody, anyone and three easy exercises where students choose the correct pronoun, rewrite sentences and fill in the blanks with the correct indefinite. For example, words like they and we are plural, personal, definite pronouns, and words like many and both are plural, indefinite pronouns. The most common indefinite pronouns are listed below, with examples, as singular, plural or singularplural.
Students of all levels learn to apply knowledge of subjectverb agreement to indefinite pronouns through largegroup instruction and discussion, partner interaction, and individual application of the concepts. One of the most common mistakes in subjectverb agreement is caused by a certain group of pronouns. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Most singular third person pronouns are treated as singular. Sometimes the subject of a sentence is followed by a prepositional phrase. A pronoun is a word that can be used in place of a noun a person, place, thing, or concept or a noun phrase.
The complete sentence would be, the pronouns some, none, and all are indefinite pronouns. The word or phrase that the pronoun refers to and replaces is called its antecedent. Why are indefinite singular third person pronouns treated as. This lesson is designed to refine and build upon previous understanding of. Indefinite pronouns, which refer to persons or things in a general or indefinite way. For example, i searched for none of the nn2 vv0 to find examples where none refers to something in plural and then takes a plural verb. Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. Learners complete 14 sentences by filling in the correct indefinite pronoun. Pronouns replace nouns and make them more specific. Singular plural singular or plural another i like this drink, i will have another. This indefinite pronouns worksheet is suitable for 2nd 8th grade. The possessive pronoun shows who the thing being referred to belongs to or is associated with. An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to non specific beings, objects, or places indefinite pronouns can represent either count nouns or noncount nouns.
The definition and examples of a singular pronoun are some topics you will be quizzed over. Learn singular or plural indefinite pronouns with free interactive flashcards. In this sentence, some is the subject and the object of the preposition money indicates whether the verb should be singular or plural. Indefinite pronouns worksheet supply indefinite pronouns. Plural indefinite pronouns both many few several jo and maria studied. Examples of indefinite pronouns here are some examples of indefinite pronouns shaded. The subject of a sentence is never in a prepositional phrase. Singular or plural pronouns that are singular or plural depending on how they are used in the sentence. Read the directions to students and demonstrate how to complete the list using the words each and everybody, which you talked about earlier in the lesson. Indefinite pronouns that may be singular or plural. An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to nonspecific beings, objects, or places indefinite pronouns can represent either count nouns or noncount nouns. In most cases, it is clear whether a pronoun s antecedent is singular or plural. The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some may be either singular or plural depending on their meaning in a sentence. Thats not what indefinite means, indefinite refers to pronouns like everyone that does not specify.
Martin haspelmath presents the first comprehensive and encyclopaedic investigation of indefinite pronouns in the languages of the world, mapping out the range of variation in their functional and formative properties. As useful as they can be, singular indefinite pronouns can also be problematic. There are posters, word hunt activities and anchor charts, a color and cutand paste pronoun book, bookmarks, matching card game, board game and double the worksheets. Singular plural both singluar and plural indefinite pronoun. Some of them may take a plural or singular verb depending on the meaning. Like all pronouns, an indefinite pronoun is a substitute for a noun or a noun phrase. Indefinite pronouns are used to talk about people, places or things without saying exactly who, where, or what they are. An indefinite pronoun refers to an inclusive or nonspecific pronoun in a sentence. Indefinite pronouns and verb agreement singular indefinite pronouns used as subjects need a singular verb. For instance, the word girls is plural, so it needs a plural pronoun like they or them or their.
For each of these pronouns, number singular or plural is determined by the antecedent. Indefinite pronouns list and definitions grammar in. Indefinite pronounssingular or plural check the antecendentreferent all any enough some all of the cakes are sold. They keep us from having to repeat proper nouns over and over. Indefinite pronouns worksheet for 2nd 8th grade lesson planet. Indefinite pronouns 12 min indefinite pronouns are words that replace nouns without specifying which noun they replace. They often have related forms across these categories.
Indefinite pronouns that end in one are always singular. The verb should agree with the subject, not the object of the preposition. It is a group of pronouns that are used when the noun is unknown or for our convenience. Plural pronouns are simply pronouns that refer to plural nouns.
However, some of them can be singular in one context and plural in another. An indefinite pronoun refers to an inclusive or non specific pronoun in a sentence. The quiz and worksheet help gauge your knowledge of singular pronouns. Independent indefinite pronouns write the opposite sentence, using the indefinite pronoun in parentheses. Choose from 500 different sets of singular or plural indefinite pronouns flashcards on quizlet. These indefinite pronouns look plural but are really singular. You can do this grammar quiz online or print it on paper. Indefinite pronouns can also function as other parts of speech too, depending on context. Most of the worlds languages have indefinite pronouns, that is, expressions such as someone, anything, and nowhere. Indefinite pronouns flip the switch again and make a pronoun form a nonspecific function. May 07, 2018 an indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to non specific beings, objects, or places. Some further changes may be necessary to correctly produce the opposite sentence. The eight indefinite compound pronouns with personal reference can be divided.
If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. Spanish indefinite pronouns indicate in a vague or unspecific way the people or things discussed in a sentence. Notice that a singular pronoun takes a singular verb and that any personal pronoun should also agree in. What do pronouns help us add to our speech and writing. Nov 10, 2016 we also use an indefinite pronoun when making general statements or comments where a specific identity is immaterial.
You can find many examples in the corpus of contemporary american english. Some basic indefinite pronouns are formed by combining certain quantifiers with one, body or thing. These worksheets can help students really understand the proper use of these. Indefinite pronouns are used when you do not refer to a person, thing or amount in particular. The reason for this is that students often mistake singular indefinite pronouns for plural pronouns, and this leads to problems with subjectverb agreement, and subjectverb agreement plays a crucial role in constructing grammatically correct sentences. A word that takes place of a noun person, place, thing indefinite pronouns an indefinite pronoun does not refer to any specific person, place or thing. Everyone can practice indefinite pronouns with this exercise. Mark twain, 18351910 of those who say nothing, few are silent. Subjectverb agreement worksheet 5 indefinite pronouns.