The Full Paradigm — Some-, Any-, No-, Every- — English Grammar Exercises
Someone left something somewhere — but nobody knows anything. Master the full some-/any-/no-/every- system in 60 exercises.
The Indefinite Pronoun Paradigm: All Twelve Forms
English indefinite pronouns are built systematically from four meaning prefixes and three category suffixes. Seeing the system as a grid — rather than memorizing twelve unrelated words — is the fastest path to confident usage. Research on vocabulary acquisition confirms that paradigm-based learning reduces error rates by up to 30% compared to item-by-item memorization, because learners can apply a rule rather than recall an isolated form.
The Grid
| Prefix | People | Things | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- (positive) | someone / somebody | something | somewhere |
| any- (questions / negatives) | anyone / anybody | anything | anywhere |
| no- (negative meaning) | no one / nobody | nothing | nowhere |
| every- (all) | everyone / everybody | everything | everywhere |
Core Usage Examples
There's something in my eye. (unknown thing)
I couldn't find it anywhere. (negative — any- for places)
Nobody answered the door. (no person)
You can hear their music everywhere. (all places)
-One vs -Body: Are They Different?
The -one and -body variants within each row are grammatically identical. Someone = somebody, anyone = anybody, no one = nobody, everyone = everybody. The choice is purely stylistic. -Body forms are slightly more informal and common in spoken English; -one forms are marginally more frequent in writing.
Transformation: 'Any Person' → 'Anyone'
Indefinite pronouns can replace full noun phrases with 'any/some/no/every + person/thing/place':
I don't know anyone in this city. → I know nobody in this city. (remove 'not', use no-)
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.