##  [Indefinite pronouns](/writing-tips-plus/indefinite-pronouns)

##  Avertissement

Ce contenu est offert en anglais seulement.

## On this page

- [Definition of an indefinite pronoun](#definition)
- [Common indefinite pronouns](#common)
- [Grammatical number in indefinite pronouns](#grammatical-number)
- [Possessive indefinite pronouns](#possessive-indefinite-pronouns)
- [Additional information](#additional-information)

## Definition of an indefinite pronoun

Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Pronouns can do anything that a noun can do. (For example, they can be subjects or objects of a verb.) There are several types of pronouns; one type is the indefinite pronoun.

Indefinite pronouns are indefinite words like **someone**, **others**, **several** or **few**. Unlike personal pronouns (e.g. he, she, they), indefinite pronouns don’t refer to a specific person or thing already named.

## Common indefinite pronouns

Some of the most common indefinite pronouns are listed below:

- compounds of **-one** (anyone, everyone, no one, someone)
- compounds of **-body** (anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody)
- compounds of **-thing** (anything, everything, nothing, something)
- all
- both
- each
- either, neither
- few, fewer
- many, more, most, much
- none
- one
- several
- some

## Grammatical number in indefinite pronouns

Some indefinite pronouns, like the compounds of **-one**, **-body** and **-thing**, are always singular in meaning. Others, like **both**, **few** and **several**, are always plural.

But some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural in meaning, depending on the context:

- **All** of the cake is gone. \[singular idea, since **all** is referring to **cake**\]
- **All** of the cupcakes are gone. \[plural idea, since **all** is referring to **cupcakes**\]

See our writing tips [Verb agreement with indefinite pronouns](/en/writing-tips-plus/verb-agreement-with-indefinite-pronouns-) and [Pronoun agreement: Indefinite pronouns](/en/writing-tips-plus/pronoun-agreement-indefinite-pronouns) for more details on how to tell when indefinite pronouns are singular or plural and how to make verbs and other pronouns agree.

## Possessive indefinite pronouns

Unlike personal pronouns, indefinite pronouns don’t have different subject, object and possessive forms.

However, an indefinite pronoun that refers to a person can become possessive by taking the ending **’s**:

- I found **somebody’s** wallet on the hiking path.
- The server brought **everyone’s** order except Tim’s.

## Additional information

- [Verb agreement with indefinite pronouns](/en/writing-tips-plus/verb-agreement-with-indefinite-pronouns-)
- [Pronoun agreement: Indefinite pronouns](/en/writing-tips-plus/pronoun-agreement-indefinite-pronouns)

### Quizzes

- [Subject-verb agreement: Indefinite pronouns](/en/quiz/jeu-quiz-agreement-with-indefinite-pronouns-eng)

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## Liens connexes

- [Writing Tips Plus](/fr/writing-tips-plus/index-fra) (page d’accueil)
- [Outils d’aide à la rédaction](/fr/outils-tools/index-fra)
- [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator) (permet de trouver rapidement des conseils linguistiques)
- [TERMIUM Plus®](http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-fra.html?lang=fra)