Everyone IS vs Everyone ARE? The Challenge of Indefinite Pronouns

QUESTION:  Everyone IS vs Everyone ARE — Which is the correct usage?

We’ll get to that.

Have you ever used words like “someone”, “anything”, or “nobody” in a sentence? These are called Indefinite Pronouns, and they’re actually rather useful. They’re like secret agents of the language world, adding a touch of mystery and flexibility to our sentences.

These pronouns stand out because they refer to people or things without specifying exactly who or what. Because it is undefined, it means that it does not have an antecedent. In other words, unlike regular personal pronouns, which are a reference back to a specific noun, Indefinite Pronouns stand alone and convey meaning without needing prior context.

Indefinite Pronouns are exactly what they sound like, they are pronouns for things that are undefined. This type of pronoun refers to an unspecified or unidentified person or thing. 

Many times they can be recognized as words that begin with any-, every-, no–, or some- and end with -body, -one, or -thing.

Most Indefinite Pronouns are either singular or plural, but some are both.

Singular

Indefinite Pronouns that end in -body, -one, or –thing, are singular. In your mind, add the word, “single” in the middle of these words to reinforce the pronoun’s need for a singular verb.

Examples of how a Singular Indefinite Pronouns takes on a singular verb or singular personal pronoun:

Words like “no one,” “neither,” and “not one” are all singular. If you think about it, the quantities they represent aren’t even one; they are ZERO.

Plural

Plural Indefinite Pronouns refer to more than one person or thing and should always be used with a plural verb. Words like both, many, few, and several fall into this category. Unlike the singular pronouns, these always indicate a group, making subject-verb agreement straightforward.

Examples of how they take on a plural verb or a plural personal pronoun:

And then there are a few, such as all, none, and some, that can be singular or plural depending on the context. For example, “Some of the cake is left” (singular) versus “Some of the cookies are gone” (plural).

Other Examples:

QUESTION:  Everyone IS vs Everyone ARE — Which is the correct usage?

THE ANSWER:  Everyone IS.

Thanks to Indefinite pronouns our language is able to be flexible and efficient, and we are allowed refer to people and things without needing to be overly specific. Whether singular, plural, or variable, these pronouns help shape clear and natural communication. Understand how they work, and you will use them confidently in both writing and speech.

This information is from our Business Writing and Grammar and Usage classes. If you’re looking for ways to improve your communication skills, register for one of our public classes.

Photo by Antonio on Flickr

Other Resources Indefinite Pronouns:

What is an Indefinite Pronoun?

Basics of English Grammar (Video)

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