Virtuous English AcademyIndefinite Pronouns: Something, Anything, Nothing (A2)
- #A2
- #Grammar
- #Rules
- #Examples
Indefinite pronouns such as something, anything, nothing, someone and anywhere refer to people, things and places without saying exactly which. This lesson shows how to use them in statements, questions and negatives.
Indefinite pronouns refer to people, things and places without naming them. They are built from three beginnings — some-, any-, no- — combined with three endings — -thing, -one/-body, -where. That gives you a tidy grid of nine core words plus the every- family, and once you see the pattern you effectively learn them all at once.
The distribution rule mirrors some and any exactly. Something, someone and somewhere go in positive sentences. Anything, anyone and anywhere go in negatives and questions. Nothing, no one and nowhere are already negative in themselves, which is why they take a positive verb.
That last point is where most errors happen. Because nothing contains the negation, the verb must stay positive: I saw nothing, not I didn't see nothing. English does not accept double negatives in standard usage, so you choose one negative element per clause and no more.
How to form Something, Anything, Nothing
| things | people | places | |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- (positive) | something | someone / somebody | somewhere |
| any- (negatives, questions) | anything | anyone / anybody | anywhere |
| no- (already negative) | nothing | no one / nobody | nowhere |
| every- (all) | everything | everyone / everybody | everywhere |
Something, Anything, Nothing: the key rules
-
Some- compounds (something, someone, somewhere) go in positive sentences.
There's something in my shoe.
-
Any- compounds go in negatives and questions.
I can't see anything. Is anyone home?
-
No- compounds (nothing, nobody, nowhere) are negative by themselves with a positive verb.
Nothing happened. Nobody called.
-
Every- compounds mean 'all' and take a singular verb.
Everyone is here. Everything looks great.
When to use Something, Anything, Nothing
-
Saying something exists without naming it
The positive some- family, used when you know there is something but not what.
There's someone at the door. I heard something outside.
-
Questions and negatives
The any- family, in exactly the same distribution as any itself.
Did you see anyone? I didn't go anywhere.
-
Stating absence directly
The no- family, which carries the negative itself and keeps the verb positive.
Nobody answered. There's nothing in the fridge.
-
Offers and requests
Just like some, the some- family appears in offers and requests despite being questions.
Would you like something to drink? Could someone help me?
nothing vs. not … anything
These express exactly the same meaning through different structures. Choosing one and sticking to it prevents the double negative.
nothing — positive verb
The pronoun carries the negative, so the verb stays positive. Slightly more emphatic.
I saw nothing. There is nothing to do. Nobody came.
not … anything — negative verb
The verb carries the negative, so the pronoun switches to the any- form. More common in speech.
I didn't see anything. There isn't anything to do. Anybody didn't come is wrong — say Nobody came.
Something, Anything, Nothing in example sentences
- Someone left their umbrella here.Positive sentence takes the some- form; note singular their.
- I didn't tell anyone about it.Negative verb requires the any- form.
- Is there anything I can do?Question takes the any- form.
- Nothing happened all evening.nothing as the subject, with a positive verb.
- We couldn't find anywhere to park.Negative with the any- form.
- Would you like something to eat?An offer, so the some- form despite being a question.
- Everyone was late because of the traffic.everyone takes a singular verb.
- There's nowhere to sit.nowhere carries the negative alone.
Something, Anything, Nothing in a real conversation
Count the negatives per clause — never more than one, even when the meaning is strongly negative.
Iva:Is there anything to eat?
Ludo:There's nothing in the fridge. Nobody went shopping.
Iva:Did anyone say they would?
Ludo:Someone mentioned it yesterday, but I don't remember who.
Iva:Is anywhere still open?
Ludo:Everywhere closes at nine. Let's order something instead.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
-
I didn't see nothing.
I didn't see anything. / I saw nothing.
English allows only one negative per clause — choose didn't + anything or saw + nothing.
-
Everybody are ready.
Everybody is ready.
Every- words are grammatically singular despite meaning many people.
-
Did something call me? (open question)
Did anything/anyone call me?
Open questions take any- compounds; some- in questions implies you expect yes.
Practise Something, Anything, Nothing today
Practise converting between the nothing and not anything structures — that is where the double negative appears.
- Draw the nine-word grid from memory and check it against the table above.
- Write four positive sentences with some- words and four negatives with any- words.
- Rewrite each negative using a no- word and a positive verb.
- Correct these: I didn't see nobody. — Anyone came to the party. — There isn't nothing here.
Something, Anything, Nothing: frequently asked questions
Why is I didn't see nothing wrong?
Because it contains two negatives in one clause — didn't and nothing — and standard English cancels rather than reinforces them, so the sentence literally means you saw something. Choose one negative: either I didn't see anything or I saw nothing. Double negatives are common in some regional dialects and in song lyrics, where they intensify the meaning, but they are not accepted in standard written or exam English.
What is the difference between someone and somebody?
Nothing at all in meaning — they are fully interchangeable, as are anyone/anybody and no one/nobody. The -one forms are slightly more common in writing and the -body forms slightly more common in speech, but neither choice is ever wrong. Note the spelling of no one, which is written as two words in British English, unlike nobody.
Are these words singular or plural?
Grammatically singular, so they take a singular verb: Everyone is here, Nothing works, Somebody has taken my seat. This surprises learners with everyone and everybody, which feel plural in meaning. However, when referring back to them with a pronoun, English uses singular their: Everyone brought their own lunch. That combination of singular verb and plural pronoun is completely standard.
Can anything be used in a positive sentence?
Yes, with the meaning it does not matter which, exactly as with any: You can order anything on the menu, Anyone can join. The pronoun keeps the same shift in meaning that any has in positive sentences — from an indefinite quantity to complete freedom of choice. Context makes the two uses easy to tell apart.