There are no significant differences in meaning between indefinite pronouns ending in -one
in informal contexts.
When used as subjects, these indefinite pronouns take a singular, not a plural verb.
Somebody and someone normally only refer to one person:
Does anyone want a lift?
Is nobody interested?
Someone has left a message for you.
However, when pronouns are used to refer to these words, plural forms are commonly used:
If
anybody knocks at the door, tell them I’m out.
You’ll have to tell
them I’m busy if anyone calls.
Nobody resigned, did they?
Someone has lost their ticket.
Although indefinite pronouns are most commonly used for vague and general reference,
somebody/someone
and anybody/anyone can have both general and specific reference:
Will somebody be there to meet you at the airport?
(specific)
Somebody isn’t telling the truth.
(general)
I didn’t see anybody.
(specific)
Anyone can learn to play the guitar, if they work at it.
(general)
The pronouns someone/somebody, something and anyone/anybody, anything are
distinguished in similar ways to the determiners some and any (
Û
196d
). For example,
someone/somebody is more assertive and is used in questions in which the speaker thinks
that the answer will follow neatly from the question. The pronouns anyone/anybody are
more open-ended and when used in questions do not anticipate a particular answer:
Has your mum bought you something for the journey?
Do you want to buy anything?
Hasn’t anyone called a taxi?
Something and anything can be used to ask negative questions. They contrast in meaning:
Didn’t she contribute something to the appeal?
(suggests that she probably did)
Didn’t she contribute anything to the appeal?
(indicates greater uncertainty)
The indefinite pronouns no one (which is also written no-one) and nobody are more definite
than not anyone or not anybody. Anyone and anybody are used in conjunction with uses of
nothing:
I heard that no one said a good word about the trip.
I didn’t hear anybody say a good word about the trip.
Nothing anybody says is accurate.
(Nothing somebody says is accurate.)
Û
196b–196d for fuller discussion of
some and
any
A–Z
38 Every for discussion of the determiner
every, which is included mainly for purposes
of contrast with each, but which also contains examples of the use of the indefinite
pronouns everything and everyone.
Û
539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms
Pronouns | 391
WHATEVER, WHOEVER, WHICHEVER
208
Whatever,
whoever and
whichever can be used as pronouns, especially in speech:
Take whatever you want.
If I talk to an Irish person or whoever, my accent changes.
A: Which one shall I get for you?
B: Whichever. I don’t mind.
In formal use (and often in proverbial expressions) a subject personal pronoun +
who may be used instead of
whoever. More commonly,
whoever or
the person who
are used:
He who hesitates is lost.
Will whoever borrowed my dictionary please return it to my office?
(or: Will the person who borrowed my dictionary please return it to my office?)
Û
317c Who and whom
SUBSTITUTE ONE
209
Substitute one has a plural form ones:
Which one would you like?
Which ones are you taking with you?
Û
123–139 Grammar across turns and sentences
EMPTY IT AND EXISTENTIAL THERE
210
The so-called empty it and existential there do not refer to any object or
entity. They are used as dummy subject forms (since a subject is required in
non-imperative clauses) and refer generally to situations:
It’s very hot today, isn’t it.
(empty it used for weather, time and general references to situations)
It looks as if the shop’s closed early.
It seems as though we might have misjudged her.
It’s time to call a halt to all the arguing.
It’s no use complaining.
There were a lot of people in the town centre.
There’s something I want to talk to you about.
392 | Pronouns
Cambridge Grammar of English
ANTICIPATORY IT
211
If an infinitive or a that-clause is the subject of a sentence, it is often used as a
preparatory or anticipatory subject:
It’s been nice to meet you.
(‘To meet you has been nice’ is unusual and, at the least, very formal indeed)
It’s silly to let such things upset you.
(preferred to: To let such things upset you is silly.)
It was a great shame that they arrived late and missed the start of the play.
(preferred to the more formal: That they arrived late and missed the start of the
play was a great shame.)
It can also be used as a preparatory or anticipatory subject when the subject of the
clause is an -ing form:
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: 
