Today’s Notes: Nov. 16, 2010

VII. Indefinite PronounsA. A pronoun that does not refer to a particular

person, place, or thing. 1. ex. Someone, anyone, everyone, each, all, either, no one, nothing, both, few, many, several, 2. Most are singular; some are plural. 3. Some, like all, any, most, more, and some, can be either singular or plural (depends on the situation)

B. Match the verb you use with the pronoun (singular verb w/ singular pronoun; plural w/plural)

Indefinite Pronouns…Indefinite Pronouns…maybe…maybe…

Indefinite Pronouns…Indefinite Pronouns…maybe…maybe…Pronoun UnitPronoun Unit

88thth grade English grade English

Pop Quiz…sort of…• What is a pronoun? What is it like? • What is a pronoun that refers to a

person or thing? • What are the three cases of

pronouns?• What should always come last in

a pronoun list? • What do possessive pronouns

take the place of?

Whew…• It sounds like

everyone is ready…

• Everyone…– Everyone…

• Everyone…– Everyone…

» Everyone…

Today…• Today in class we

are going to talk about an elusive little pronoun…the indefinite pronoun.

• Indefinite pronouns are general…they hate being specific.

Indefinite Pronouns• An indefinite

pronoun is a pronoun that does not refer to a particular person, place, or thing.

Huh?

• Think of it this way…– I and you refer to specific people.

You know EXACTLY who you are talking about.

– Indefinite pronouns point to non-specific people- for example, someone, anyone, nobody, and anybody.

– These are called indefinite pronouns!

Indefinite Pronouns

• Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural.

Some Indefinite Pronouns

SingularAnother Everybody no oneAnybody Everyone nothingAnyone Everything oneAnything much somebodyEach neither someoneEither nobody something

PluralBothFew

ManyOthersseveral

Indefinite Subject Pronouns

• Make sure your pronoun agrees in number to the verb if it is a subject pronoun! – Use a singular indefinite pronoun with a

singular verb.• Everyone reads this part of the novel. (singular

pronoun, singular verb)

– Use a plural pronoun with a plural verb. • Several enjoy the long ride very much. (Plural

pronoun, plural verb)

Indefinite Pronouns• Pronouns beginning with any (anyone,

anybody, etc…), no (no one, nobody, nothing), every (everyone, everything, etc…), and some (someone, something, etc…) are ALWAYS singular and use a singular verb. – Everyone is laughing. – Nothing is happening!

Some more Indefinite Pronouns

• Some indefinite pronouns are always plural-both, several, few, many, others.

• Each of these needs a plural verb.– The Martin girls are twins. Both are

here. (Plural)– I like possums. Several are living in

the house next door.

Crazy Indefinites• All, any, most, none, some, enough,

and half can be singular or plural, depending on the phrase that follows. – Most of the story takes place in

England. (singular)– Most of the characters are orange.

(plural)

Pronouns with…pronouns?

• Sometimes possessive pronouns have indefinite pronouns as antecedents.

• The two pronouns must agree in number. – Several are presenting their

interpretations. (plural)– Each of the students has

his or her ideas about its meaning. (singular)

Let’s try it out…Choose the indefinite pronoun that agrees

with the verb or possessive pronoun.

1. (Neither, All) of Robert Frost’s poems are enjoyed by their readers.

2. (One, Many) of the poems have New England as their setting.

3. (Much, Many) of their narrators are people living close to nature.

4. (Much, Others) of the poetry has rhythm, and its lines rhyme.

5. (Both, Each) of the poems has its own

rhyme.

Let’s try it out…(con.) 6. Everyone studies (his or her, their)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. 7. Many of the characters (talks, talk)

peculiarly. 8. Most of the animals (is, are)

animals. 9. Everything in Wonderland

(confuses, confuse) Alice.10. The Cheshire cat disappears;

nothing (is, are) left but its smile.

Remember…• An indefinite

pronoun is a pronoun that does not specifically name its antecedent.

• It is general.

So…• How does this

fit into what we have learned…

• The condensed soup version…

What you need to know…

• A pronoun is like a stunt double.• A pronoun takes the place of a noun. • Antecedent = word being replaced.• Personal pronouns = people or things• Nominative case = pronoun in the

subject. • Objective case = pronoun used as the

object of something.

What you need to know…

• Pronoun I/me is always last.• You is overused…be careful.• Possessive pronouns show

ownership. • A possessive pronoun takes the

place of a possessive noun. • Don’t confuse its with it’s.• An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun

that does not refer to a particular person, place, or thing.