Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite Pronouns

Many problems of agreement arise with the words on the following list. They are

called indefinite pronouns. A personal pronoun that has one of these words as an antecedent must be singular.

anybody          either               neither             one

anyone             everybody       nobody            somebody

each                 everyone          no one                         someone

Note the following correct forms.

Each of the girls must bring her track shoes.

Each is singular. Her is singular.

Everybody must report to his or her adviser.

Everybody is singular. His . . . her with or is singular. Even though everybody “sounds”

plural, it isn’t. The use of their with everybody—or with any other word on the list—is incorrect in formal English.

With either . . . or or neither . . . nor, use the nearer antecedent when choosing a

pronoun.

Either Jill or Claire will bring her records to the dance.

Jill . . . Claire is a compound subject. Since Jill is singular and Claire is also singular, the

singular her is used.

Neither Norm nor his cousins buy their groceries here.

Norm is singular, but cousins is plural. Therefore, the plural their is used to agree with the

nearer antecedent, cousins.

Still another error is using a plural verb with one of the indefinite pronouns. Note these

correct forms.

Everyone at the meeting has a stake in the decision.

Everyone is singular. Has is singular.

Each of the members was asked to vote.

Each is singular. Was is singular.

Neither the twins nor she wants to go to the beach this summer.

Twins is plural, but she is singular. The singular verb, wants, agrees with the nearer subject,

she, which is also singular.

Some indefinite pronouns usually require a plural verb: several, many, both, some, few.

Some were not invited to Yolanda’s party.

Many of the apples are still green.

Several in the stands cheer whenever Forenzo comes to bat.