Agreement with indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. Even though some of the following indefinite pronouns may seem to have plural meanings, treat them as singular in formal English:
anybody |
anyone |
anything |
each |
either |
everybody |
everyone |
everything |
neither |
nobody |
no one |
somebody |
someone |
something |
When a plural pronoun refers mistakenly to a singular indefinite pronoun, you can usually choose one of three options for revision.
- Replace the plural pronoun with he or she (or his or her).
- Make the antecedent plural.
- Rewrite the sentence so that no problem of agreement exists.
Because the he or she construction is wordy, often the second or third revision strategy is more effective.
Exercises:
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 1
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 2
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 3
Pronoun-antecedent agreement 4