Indefinite Pronouns — English Grammar Exercises
someone, anything, nobody, everything, somewhere — master the full system and avoid double negation.
Indefinite Pronouns: Quick Reference Guide
Indefinite pronouns — someone, anything, nobody, everything, somewhere — form a systematic grid that B1–B2 learners must master to speak natural English. Data from the Longman Learner Corpus shows that indefinite pronoun errors appear in approximately 10% of intermediate writing samples, with double negation ("I don't know nothing") being the single most common mistake. The problem is especially acute for speakers of languages that allow double negatives, including Spanish, Russian, French, and Portuguese — affecting over 60% of English learners worldwide. Beyond double negation, corpus research reveals that adjective placement errors with indefinite pronouns ("interesting something" instead of "something interesting") account for nearly 30% of all pronoun-related mistakes at this level. These 60 exercises cover the complete some-/any-/no-/every- system with all its subtleties.
The Indefinite Pronoun Grid
| People | Things | Places | |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- (positive) | someone / somebody | something | somewhere |
| any- (negative / question) | anyone / anybody | anything | anywhere |
| no- (negative meaning) | no one / nobody | nothing | nowhere |
| every- (all) | everyone / everybody | everything | everywhere |
Some- vs Any- vs No-
The choice follows the same rules as some/any/no with nouns:
I didn't see anyone. (negative verb + any-)
No one came to the meeting. (positive verb + no-)
Is anyone home? (question)
Would you like something to drink? (offer — expect "yes")
Double Negation — The Key Rule
English allows only one negative per clause:
✗ She didn't go nowhere. → ✓ She didn't go anywhere.
OR: ✓ She went nowhere. (positive verb + no-word)
Adjective Placement
Adjectives go after indefinite pronouns, not before:
somewhere quiet (NOT quiet somewhere)
nothing new (NOT new nothing)
anyone else (NOT else anyone)
Common Mistakes
✗ Is there someone wrong? → ✓ Is there something wrong?
✗ I want to go interesting somewhere. → ✓ I want to go somewhere interesting.
✗ Everyone are here. → ✓ Everyone is here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between someone and anyone?
Use 'someone/somebody' in positive statements: 'Someone called you.' Use 'anyone/anybody' in negatives and questions: 'I didn't see anyone', 'Is anyone home?' However, use 'someone' in questions where you expect 'yes' (offers/requests): 'Would you like someone to help you?' The same pattern applies to something/anything and somewhere/anywhere.
Why can't you say 'I don't know nothing' in English?
English does not allow double negatives in standard grammar. 'Don't' is already negative, so adding 'nothing' creates a double negative. You must say 'I don't know anything' (negative verb + any-word) OR 'I know nothing' (positive verb + no-word). Many languages allow double negation (Spanish, Russian, French), which is why this is such a common learner error.
Are indefinite pronouns singular or plural in English?
All compound indefinite pronouns (someone, anyone, everyone, no one, something, anything, everything, nothing) are grammatically singular and take a singular verb: 'Everyone is here', 'Nobody knows the answer.' However, in modern English, 'they/their' is widely accepted as a pronoun referring back to these words: 'Everyone brought their own lunch.'
Where do adjectives go with indefinite pronouns?
Unlike normal word order, adjectives go after indefinite pronouns, not before: 'something interesting' (NOT 'interesting something'), 'anyone else', 'nothing new', 'somewhere quiet'. This reversed order surprises many learners because English normally places adjectives before nouns.