The document provides a grammar lesson on indefinite pronoun agreement. It discusses how indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both singular and plural depending on the surrounding context. Examples are given to demonstrate how to use singular or plural personal pronouns to correctly refer back to indefinite antecedents. A worksheet with pronoun agreement exercises concludes the lesson.

1. February 2, 2012 Agenda
+Grammar, Chapter 3
-Lesson 8: Indefinite Pronoun Agreement
Homework:
Lesson 8 Worksheet
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2. -An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place,
thing or idea.
*Indefinite pronouns often do not have antecedents.
Everyone should know about the men of the Endurance.
Anybody would be amazed by the story of this shipwreck.
-Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or singular or plural.
Singular Plural Singular/Plural
another neither both all
anybody nobody few any
anyone no one many most
anything nothing several none
each one some
either somebody
everybody someone
everyone something
everything
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3. Singular-Indefinite Pronouns
-Use a singular personal pronoun to refer to a singular indefinite
pronoun.
Anyone in trouble depends on his or her friends.
(Anyone could be masculine or feminine)
On the Endurance, everybody had to keep up his spirits while
waiting for rescue.
(There were only men on the ship)
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4. Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Use a plural personal pronoun to refer to a plural indefinite
pronoun.
Many shared their food and clothing.
None realized they would not return home for 20 months.
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5. Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural. Often the
phrase that follows the indefinite pronouns will tell you whether
the pronoun is singular or plural.
Most of the mast had lost its sail.
Most of the masts had lost their sails.
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6. Choose the pronoun that agrees with the indefinite pronoun
antecedent.
1. In 1915, all of the men became trapped with (his, their) ship in
the Antarctic ice.
2. No one could send (his, their) family a message.
3. Few of them were able to avoid sleeping on the ice in (their,
his) wet clothes.
4. When spring came, all the men had to board three life boats.
(He, They) sailed toward a splinter of land.
5. Each was relieved when (he, they) reached the land safely.
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7. 6. Shackleton chose a few of the men and asked (him, them) to
row 800 icy miles to get help.
7. Each was chosen for (his, their) special courage.
8. One use (his, their) carpentry skills to make new boat parts
from packing crates!
9. Some of the waves were 50 feet high. The men has to face
(it, them) in only a life boat!
10. Incredibly, nobody in Shackleton's crew lost (his, their) life
during the voyage.
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8. Indefinite Pronoun Chart
Singular Plural Singular/Plural
another neither both all
anybody nobody few any
anyone no one many most
anything nothing several none
each one some
either somebody
everybody someone
everyone something
everything
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