Indefinite Pronoun

Indefinite pronouns refer to things or people without mentioning what or who they are.

For example:-

• Somebody stole my car.
• Does anybody know who she is?

Other indefinite pronouns include - anything, anyone, something, someone, nothing, nobody, none, no one

!Note

For people we use: anybody or anyone | somebody or someone | nobody or no one
For things we use: anything, something, nothing, none

Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, and Nobody

Once there were four managers.  Their names were: Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, and Nobody.  They were very busy people, but whenever there was an important job to be done, Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. When Nobody did it, Everybody got angry because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that Nobody would do it. So consequently Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done in the first place.

For example, Everybody had a good idea.  Nobody thought somebody would follow it through.  Somebody thought anybody could work on it.  Anybody thought everybody should do it.  Eveybody thought someone would do it. So nobody did anything. Now they all worked in the same company and the company held a great competition:  Who could produce the best logo?  Everybody thought anybody could win something.  Anybody thought somebody should win.  Somebody thought everybody would win.  Nobody thought nobody would win.  What did they win? Nothing!

An indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase, as in the following sentences:

Many people believe that corporations are under-taxed.

The indefinite adjective "many" modifies the noun "people" and the noun phrase "many people" is the subject of the sentence.

I will send you any mail that arrives after you have moved to Sudbury.

The indefinite adjective "any" modifies the noun "mail" and the noun phrase "any mail" is the direct object of the compound verb "will send."

They found a few goldfish floating belly up in the swan pound.

In this example the indefinite adjective modifies the noun "goldfish" and the noun phrase is the direct object of the verb "found":

The title of Kelly's favourite game is "All dogs go to heaven."

Here the indefinite pronoun "all" modifies "dogs" and the full title is a subject complement.