When you hear something that you aren’t sure whether it is true or not and tell it to another person, you might start spreading the gossip by saying: “rumour has it…” In other words, this expression is used when someone is repeating personal information about someone else.
By the end of this topic, you will:
Revise the use of quantifiers and indefinite pronouns. To refer to the different forms of unspecific nouns that might or not exist. Through examples of proper etiquette when dealing with someone else’s personal information, such as the workplace or the Internet.
Let’s explore the use of indefinite pronouns in the next chart.
Click on each type of Pronoun so you can see its meaning and an example. By giving a click on the next, the information of the following one will appear.
Pronoun |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
EVERYBODY/EVERYONE |
all people |
 Well, now we can start the meeting because everybody has arrived. |
EVERYTHING |
all things |
 They have nor house nor possessions. They lost everything in the fire. |
EVERYWHERE |
on, at, or in all places or the whole of a place |
 Her children go everywhere with her. |
SOMEBODY/SOMEONE |
an unspecified or unknown person |
 Clearly, somebody murdered this man. There are no signs of suicide. |
SOMETHING |
an unspecified or unknown thing |
 Listen! I just heard something downstairs! |
SOMEWHERE |
in or at an unknown place having a position |
 You must’ve put the bill somewhere! |
Pronoun |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
NOBODY/NO-ONE |
no person |
 I phoned home many times but nobody answered. |
NOTHING |
no single thing, not anything |
 If you don't know the answer it's better to say nothing. |
NOWHERE |
in, at, or to no place |
 These orphans have nowhere (else) to go. |
Pronoun |
Meaning |
Example |
|---|---|---|
ANYBODY/ANYONE |
no matter what person |
 Can anyone answer this question? |
ANYTHING |
no matter what thing |
 Doctor: Has the girl eaten anything in the last two hours? |
ANYWHERE |
No matter which place |
 There isn’t anywhere in the world where you cannot find some sort of hamburger or pizza restaurant. |
Activity 1
Have you seen or shared any meme? What’s a meme?
A) Read the article about Internet Memes and fill in the gap with the indefinite pronouns from the box.
B) Now match the sentences halves 1-5 to their endings A-E.
Activity 2
Have you seen or shared any meme? Do you know what a meme is?
Watch the video “How to stop the gossip?” and complete the sentences given with 1 to 3 words.
Make sure you include an indefinite pronoun in your answer. As an example, the first one is done for you:
(0) Gossip seems like nothing more than harmless talk. Nothing more.
Activity 3
Have you ever engaged in or been the victim of gossip? What are the most common themes for gossip? Rumours and gossip are always floating around your school, work or community.
Voice-record through Vocaroo a tidbit of gossip you recently heard in the last three months. Make sure you use the Indefinite pronouns at least ten times, and it should last from 2 to 5 minutes. You can follow the next questions to organize your answer:
One more thing, please take a look at this rubric to evaluate your development of this activity.
Listen to the following example.
Activity 4
Mozart, M. (2015). Caitlyn Jenner, Formerly Bruce [photo]. Retrieved on march 2017 from https://goo.gl/eJ8gYP
A gossip newspaper is a publication where you find stories about the social and private lives of famous people.(Gossip. (n.d.). Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved on March 2017 from https://goo.gl/TpfhR1)
Write the front-page article of a showbiz newspaper or magazine. Spread the juicy tidbit by writing a 140-190-word interview to a celebrity. Use at least ten indefinite pronouns and an appropriate style.
To help you, here's the beginning of the interview:
Interviewer (I): ): Today on our program I'm going to talk to Liam O'Connor star of...
Interviewer: Liam, what projects you are currently working on? Which project is going to release first in the coming days?
Liam (L): Well, I don't want to give the game away. I will release something interesting in the coming days. I've been working on it for some months, and I hope to make a good impression on my fans/audience.
I: Which celebrities you believe are the most influential?
L: Well, someone who has influenced not just me, but the society at large is…
Please take a look at the rubrics to self-assess this activity once you've finished writing it.
Remember that indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific person, thing or place. The indefinite pronouns we explored in this unit are singular and can have positive or negative & interrogative use.
Choose the most appropriate option for each case.
levelord. (2008). Computer / room / desk / toys / game / play / child / youth / chaos [photo]. Retrieved on April 2017 from https://goo.gl/TbJgw5
Teenagers are a little bit messy. Especially when there’s a desk to clutter up with lots of things.
Look at the picture very carefully. Mark the sentences T (true) or F (false) remember the use of indefinite pronouns and their affirmative, negative and interrogative form.
darkestar. (2016). Portrait / reflective / male / in bed / pillow [photo]. Retrieved on April 2017 from https://goo.gl/Ab0aVZ
There nothing more common and uncomfortable than gossip in the workplace and everybody needs a break from that.
Complete the text with: anybody, nothing, nowhere, somebody, something, & somewhere.
DEMOS, S. (2014). La Jornada: El significado cultural del meme se propaga con el relajo cibernético. La Jornada. Retrieved 31 March 2017, from https://goo.gl/F1xaNx
Indefinite Pronouns | EnglishClub. Englishclub.com. Retrieved 30 March 2017, from https://goo.gl/lIwlc2
Internet meme. (2017). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 31 March 2017, from https://goo.gl/uYzBLc
NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight. (2013). Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 1 April 2017, from https://goo.gl/i2tccI
Pronouns: indefinite (- body, -. (2017). Pronouns: indefinite (- body, - one, - thing, - where) - gramática inglés en "English Grammar Today" - Cambridge University Press. Dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from https://goo.gl/MxxmVd
Stop Gossip. (2016). YouTube. Retrieved 31 March 2017, from https://goo.gl/fWZ3pp