The Noun Family: Indefinite Pronouns

1. Identify the indefinite pronoun.

Gayle was surprised at everything in the store was part of the 30% off sale.

Gayle

Everything

In

Part

Sale

The indefinite pronoun in this sentence is "everything". It refers to all the items in the store that were part of the 30% off sale.

Explanation

The indefinite pronoun in this sentence is "everything". It refers to all the items in the store that were part of the 30% off sale.

2. What is the best way to remember indefinite pronouns?

Indefinite means "not certain" and indefinite pronouns refer to 'not specific" persons, places, or things

Indefinite means "endless" and indefinite pronouns go on forever and ever

Indefinite means "for real" and indefinite pronouns only take the place of proper nouns

Indefinite means "in your face" and indefinite pronouns are only Yo Momma insults

The best way to remember indefinite pronouns is to understand that they refer to "not specific" persons, places, or things. Indefinite pronouns are used when the speaker does not want to specify who or what they are referring to. By remembering the definition of indefinite and its connection to not being specific, one can easily recall the concept of indefinite pronouns.

Explanation

The best way to remember indefinite pronouns is to understand that they refer to "not specific" persons, places, or things. Indefinite pronouns are used when the speaker does not want to specify who or what they are referring to. By remembering the definition of indefinite and its connection to not being specific, one can easily recall the concept of indefinite pronouns.

3. Choose the indefinite pronoun from the sentence below:

Jack said he needed someone to help carry water, and Jill said she would.

He

Someone

Jill

She

Jack

The correct answer is "someone" because it is an indefinite pronoun that refers to a person without specifying their identity. In the sentence, Jack mentioned that he needed someone to help carry water, indicating that he required assistance from an unspecified individual. Jill then responded by saying that she would help, confirming that she is the person referred to as "someone" in this context.

Explanation

The correct answer is "someone" because it is an indefinite pronoun that refers to a person without specifying their identity. In the sentence, Jack mentioned that he needed someone to help carry water, indicating that he required assistance from an unspecified individual. Jill then responded by saying that she would help, confirming that she is the person referred to as "someone" in this context.

4. Identify the indefinite pronoun(s):

The boys looked at each other after Mr. Miller caught them shooting spit wads.

Boys

Each other

Mr. Miller

Them

Spit wads

The indefinite pronoun in this sentence is "each other." It refers to an unspecified number of people, in this case, the boys, who looked at one another after being caught by Mr. Miller.

Explanation

The indefinite pronoun in this sentence is "each other." It refers to an unspecified number of people, in this case, the boys, who looked at one another after being caught by Mr. Miller.

5. Define an antecedent:

Noun that a pronoun replaces

Specific indefinite pronouns

A non-pronoun

All of the above

None of the above

An antecedent is a noun that is replaced by a pronoun. It is the word or phrase that the pronoun refers to in a sentence. For example, in the sentence "John is my friend. He is very kind," the noun "John" is the antecedent of the pronoun "he." The pronoun "he" replaces the noun "John" to avoid repetition. Therefore, the correct answer is "Noun that a pronoun replaces."

Explanation

An antecedent is a noun that is replaced by a pronoun. It is the word or phrase that the pronoun refers to in a sentence. For example, in the sentence "John is my friend. He is very kind," the noun "John" is the antecedent of the pronoun "he." The pronoun "he" replaces the noun "John" to avoid repetition. Therefore, the correct answer is "Noun that a pronoun replaces."

6. Define a pronoun:

Takes the place of a noun

Always capitalized

Agrees in number and case with the antecedent

Both A & B

Both A & C

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. It can refer to a person, place, thing, or idea. Pronouns are always capitalized and agree in number and case with the antecedent, which is the noun that the pronoun replaces. Therefore, both statement A (takes the place of a noun) and statement C (agrees in number and case with the antecedent) correctly define a pronoun.

Explanation

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. It can refer to a person, place, thing, or idea. Pronouns are always capitalized and agree in number and case with the antecedent, which is the noun that the pronoun replaces. Therefore, both statement A (takes the place of a noun) and statement C (agrees in number and case with the antecedent) correctly define a pronoun.

7. An indefinite pronoun ...

Matches a noun in number and person

Refers to generalized (non-specific) nouns

Can stand alone as a sentence

Both A & B

Both B & C

An indefinite pronoun matches a noun in number and person, as well as refers to generalized (non-specific) nouns. This means that it can agree with a noun in terms of singular or plural form, and it can also be used to replace nonspecific nouns such as "someone," "everyone," or "anything." Therefore, the correct answer is both A & B.

Explanation

An indefinite pronoun matches a noun in number and person, as well as refers to generalized (non-specific) nouns. This means that it can agree with a noun in terms of singular or plural form, and it can also be used to replace nonspecific nouns such as "someone," "everyone," or "anything." Therefore, the correct answer is both A & B.