Indefinite Pronouns

1
Indefinite Pronouns

• 6-8
• P. 302

2
Kinds of Indefinite Pronouns

• The pronouns someone and everybody do not refer
  to definite persons or things.
• Pronouns like these are called indefinite
  pronouns they often do not have specific
  antecedents.

3

• All, any, most, none, and some can be singular or
  plural. These pronouns are plural when they refer
  to things that can be counted.
• They are singular when they refer to things that
  cannot be counted.
• Singular- Most of the town closes on the Fourth
  of July.
• Plural- Most of the stores close on the Fourth of
  July.

4

• When words like all, most, or each are used
  before nouns, they function as adjectives, not as
  indefinite pronouns.
• Indefinite Pronouns- Some carried flags in the
  parade.
• Adjective- Some children carried flags in the
  parade.

5
Identify each indefinite pronoun. Is it singular
or plural?

• The days of the Chinese New Year are some of the
  most important dates on the calendar.
• Each Chinese American community holds its own
  celebration.
• Everybody crowds into the streets and watches a
  parade of paper animals and lanterns.
• Everything in the parade is colorful and
  exciting, but the best part is the long Golden
  Dragon.
• This traditional symbol of the Chinese New Year
  must be carried by several people.

6
Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns

• You know that when a singular pronoun is the
  subject of a sentence, it takes a singular verb,
  and a plural pronoun takes a plural verb. When an
  indefinite pronoun is the subject of a sentence,
  the verb must agree with it.
• Everyone enjoys the celebration.

7

• Indefinite pronouns can be antecedents for
  personal pronouns. You know that a personal
  pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person,
  number, and gender.

8
Find the indefinite pronoun and choose the verb
or the pronoun that agrees with it.

• 6. In China most people (celebrates, celebrate)
  (its, their) New Years with family reunions and
  feasting.
• 7. Some of the children (receive, receives) red
  envelopes filled with money.
• 8. Many (attends, attend) parades with decorated
  floats and traditional dances.
• 9. In the United States, one usually (spends,
  spend) New Years Eve with family or friends.
• 10. The two countries celebrate differently, but
  each (welcomes, welcome) (its, their) new year
  with festivity.

9
Find the indefinite pronoun and choose the verb
or the pronoun that agrees with it.

• 11. Everything at fiestas (begins, begin) before
  daylight with fireworks and ringing bells.
• 12. Everybody (dances, dance) and (buys, buy)
  refreshments.
• 13. Some (watches, watch) plays or professional
  bullfights, or (he, they) ride merry-go-rounds
  and Ferris wheels.
• 14. Each of the Mexican cities, towns, and
  villages also (holds, hold) (its, their) own
  fiesta each year.
• 15. In larger towns and cities, many of the
  fiestas (resembles, resemble) carnivals or county
  fairs in the United States.

10
Find the indefinite pronoun and choose the verb
or the pronoun that agrees with it.

• 16. Few of the fiesta activities (excites,
  excite) the children as much as the pinata game.
• 17. Most of the children (wonders, wonder) what
  each pinata contains.
• 18. Everybody (finds, find) the game enjoyable.