Every- Compounds — Singular Verb Agreement — English Grammar Exercises
Someone left something somewhere — but nobody knows anything. Master the full some-/any-/no-/every- system in 60 exercises.
Every- Compounds and Verb Agreement
Every- compounds (everyone, everybody, everything, everywhere) refer to large groups but are grammatically singular. This mismatch between semantic plurality and grammatical singularity is a persistent source of agreement errors. The English Profile Programme reports that subject–verb agreement errors with 'everyone' and 'everybody' are among the top twenty grammar errors at B1–B2, and that the plural verb ('everyone are') remains frequent even among C1 candidates from plural-concord L1 backgrounds.
Every- + Singular Verb
All every- compounds take a third-person singular verb — the same form as he/she/it:
Everything has been arranged for the trip. (not: 'have')
Everybody was surprised by the announcement. (not: 'were')
The Rule Is System-Wide
Singular agreement applies to the entire indefinite pronoun paradigm — not just every- forms:
Somebody has left their umbrella in the office.
Does anyone know who it belongs to? (base form after auxiliary 'does')
Nobody claims it — so what do we do?
Singular They: The Modern Possessive Standard
When a pronoun refers back to an indefinite pronoun (everyone, somebody, no one), modern standard English uses their — not 'his' (which excludes women) and not 'his or her' (clunky in natural speech). The singular they/their has been used in English since the 14th century and is now endorsed by major style guides including the Chicago Manual of Style and the APA.
✗ Everyone should bring his own laptop. (outdated — excludes non-male participants)
Somebody left their phone on the table.
Common Mistakes
✗ Everybody have finished their homework. → ✓ Everybody has finished their homework.
✗ Somebody have left their umbrella. → ✓ Somebody has left their umbrella.
✗ Everyone should bring his own laptop. → ✓ Everyone should bring their own laptop.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I use 'someone' vs 'anyone' in English?
Use 'someone/somebody/something/somewhere' in positive statements ('Someone called you') and in offers and polite requests ('Would you like something to eat?', 'Could someone help me?'). Use 'anyone/anybody/anything/anywhere' in questions ('Have you told anyone?'), in negative sentences ('I didn't see anything'), and in positive sentences meaning 'it doesn't matter who/what' ('Anyone can apply'). The pattern mirrors the some/any rule for nouns.
What is double negation and why is it wrong in English?
Double negation means using two negative words in one clause, such as 'I don't know nobody' or 'She didn't go nowhere'. Standard English requires a single negative per clause. The fix is to use either a negative verb with an 'any-' pronoun ('I don't know anybody / I didn't go anywhere') OR a positive verb with a 'no-' pronoun ('I know nobody / She went nowhere'). Never combine both.
Do 'everyone', 'somebody' and 'nothing' take a singular or plural verb?
All compound indefinite pronouns — everyone/everybody, someone/somebody, no one/nobody, anyone/anybody, everything, something, nothing, anything — take a singular verb, even though some refer to many people. Say 'Everyone is ready' (not 'are'), 'Nobody wants to leave' (not 'want'), 'Everything has been arranged' (not 'have'). For the possessive pronoun referring back to 'everyone', modern English uses 'their': 'Everyone should bring their own laptop.'
What is the difference between 'no one' and 'none of'?
'No one' (also written 'nobody') stands alone and refers to people in general: 'No one answered the door.' It cannot be followed by 'of'. 'None of' is used before a specific group (with a determiner): 'None of the students passed.' 'None of the answers were correct.' The form 'no one of the students' is incorrect — use 'none of the students' instead.