Indefinite Pronouns in English: Someone, Anyone, Nothing, Nowhere Explained

Anyone, somebody, nothing… when do we use them? Indefinite pronouns in English are words like anyone, somebody, anything, somewhere, nobody, nowhere, etc. We use them when we don’t want to (or can’t) name a specific person, thing, or place.

Common indefinite pronouns

People

• anyone / anybody
• someone / somebody
• no one / nobody

Things

• anything
• something
• nothing

Places

• anywhere
• somewhere
• nowhere

They often end in -one, -body, -thing, -where:

• -one / -body → people
• -thing → things
• -where → places

Examples

• Anyone could steal your purse because you left it on the table in that café.
• Someone is knocking at the door.
• There is no one to help us, so we’ll have to manage by ourselves.
• I’m looking for somewhere I can park my car.
• Hi Tara. I’d like to talk to you about something.
• I haven’t eaten anything today, so I’m starving.
• Those who don’t know a foreign language know nothing about their own.

-body vs -one (somebody vs someone)

Indefinite pronouns ending in -body and -one usually mean the same thing.

• somebody = someone
• anybody = anyone
• nobody = no one (same meaning)

The difference is mostly style:

• -one can sound slightly more formal in writing.
• -body is very common in everyday speech.

Examples

• I’m sure somebody / someone will tell us her phone number.
• I don’t see anyone / anybody coming.

Spelling note: no one is two words

Most indefinite pronouns are written as one word (someone, anything, nowhere), but:

✅ no one = two words

• She broke her leg because no one told her the floor was slippery.

Using else with indefinite pronouns

We use else after an indefinite pronoun to mean “in addition” or “a different person/thing/place.”

• If you can’t join us, we’ll ask someone else.

In case you need anything else, give me a call.

Common Mistakes with Indefinite Pronouns in English

1) Spelling: “no one” (two words)

❌ noone

✅ no one

Example: No one told me the floor was slippery.

2) Double negatives

Don’t use a negative verb + nobody/nothing/nowhere together.

❌ I didn’t see nobody.

✅ I didn’t see anybody. / ✅ I saw nobody.

3) any- vs some-

• some- is common in affirmative sentences: Someone called.
• any- is common in questions/negatives: Did anyone call? I didn’t see anyone.

4) Singular verb agreement

Indefinite pronouns are usually singular.

✅ Everyone is ready.

✅ Nothing was missing.

Related posts:

How to Use Else

Verb-Object Split in English

10 Forms of “Other” in English

Reflexive and Emphatic Pronouns in English

Quantifiers: Much, Many, Little, Few, Plenty, a Lot, a Bit

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