Somebody, Nothing, Anywhere
English has a full set of indefinite pronouns that are built from two parts: the first is either some-, any-, or no-, and the second is either -body/-one, -thing, or -where. They follow the same pattern as some/any/no.
| for people | for things | for places | |
|---|---|---|---|
| some- | somebody/someone | something | somewhere |
| any- | anybody/anyone | anything | anywhere |
| no- | nobody/no one | nothing | nowhere |
Some- for positive sentences
- Her son lives somewhere in Montana.
- We bought you something to eat.
- Somebody told me that he's at home.
Also, we use somebody, something, and somewhere in offers, even if they're phrased as questions (not positive sentences), for example:
- Would you like something to drink?
Any- for negative and questions
- They can't find the keys anywhere.
- I wasn't thirsty, so I didn't drink anything.
- Did you see anybody in the garden?
No- for negative sentences with a positive verb
- The office was empty. There was nobody there.
- He has nowhere to live.
- What did you say? – Nothing.
