Question

Which pronouns refer to people or things in a general way, without being specific?

• A. Personal Pronoun
• B. Demonstrative Pronoun
• C. Indefinite Pronoun
• D. Reflexive Pronoun

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Indefinite Pronoun

Indefinite Pronouns Explained

• Indefinite pronouns refer to people, places, or things in a general or non-specific way.
• Unlike personal pronouns (like 'he', 'she', 'it', 'they') or demonstrative pronouns (like 'this', 'that', 'these', 'those'), indefinite pronouns do not point to a particular person or thing.
• They are often used when the identity of the person or thing is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context.

Common Indefinite Pronouns

• Singular: anyone, anything, each, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, somebody, someone, something.
• Plural: both, few, many, several.
• Singular or Plural (depending on context): all, any, some, most, none.

Usage Examples

• Referring to people: "Someone left their bag behind." (We don't know who)
• Referring to things: "Did you buy anything?" (We don't know what)
• Referring to a group generally: "Everyone is expected to attend the meeting."
• Referring to quantity: "Few understood the complex theory."
• Contextual agreement: "All of the cake was eaten." (Singular, referring to the cake as a whole) vs. "All of the students passed." (Plural, referring to individual students)

Grammatical Notes for Exams

• Indefinite pronouns that are singular usually take a singular verb. (e.g., "Each of the participants is given a certificate.")
• Indefinite pronouns that are plural usually take a plural verb. (e.g., "Many of the attendees were late.")
• When indefinite pronouns like 'all', 'any', 'some', 'most', 'none' are followed by 'of' and a plural noun or pronoun, they usually take a plural verb. (e.g., "Some of the apples are rotten.")
• Be mindful of subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronouns, as this is a common area tested in grammar sections of competitive exams.