Indefinite pronoun

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An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that refers to one or more unspecified beings, objects, or places.

Contents

[edit] 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". In cases where confusion is most likely to arise, example sentences in which the word functions as an indefinite pronoun are given.

[edit] Singular

[edit] Plural

  • 1bothBoth are guilty.
  • fewFew were chosen.
  • fewerFewer are going to church these days.
  • manyMany were chosen.
  • othersOthers can worry about that.
  • severalSeveral were chosen.
  • they (in informal usage, in the sense of "people in general") – They say that smoking is bad for you.

[edit] Singular or plural

  • allAll is lost.
  • anyAny will do.
  • moreMore is better.
  • mostMost would agree.
  • none[2]None of us will join.
  • someSome would agree.
  • suchSuch is life.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Indefinite you, indefinite one", The Columbia Guide to Standard American English, 1993
  2. ^ Some traditional grammars insist that "none" is always singular, but the plural sense is well established and widely accepted. See, for example, the COED usage note.

[edit] External links

Look up indefinite pronoun in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.