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Imagine you are listening to music in English. Perhaps you hear a few words from "Something," performed by The Beatles.

Something in the way she moves

Attracts me like no other lover

You might wonder about the title, or name, of the song. The word something belongs to a group of words known as expanded indefinitepronouns. We will explore some of these terms today. But first, let us begin with a few definitions.

Definitions and problems

In another Everyday Grammar program, we reported on expanded indefinite pronouns. Expanded indefinite pronouns are words that end in –thing, -body, or –one. Examples include something, anybody, everyone, or nothing.

Make sure you read our earlier story if you have questions about how native speakers make such words.

Many English learners face a problem when trying to use expanded indefinite pronouns. It is unclear how native English speakers use these unusual pronouns - especially when they appear in negative or affirmative sentences.

Negative sentences have the word ‘no,’ ‘not’ or sometimes another negative word such as ‘never.’

Affirmative sentences are statements that have a positive meaning. They generally do not have a negative word.

In general, the negative word determines, or decides, the pronoun that is used. Let us explore this idea in more detail.

Some vs. any

English speakers often use expanded pronouns with “some-” in affirmative sentences, as in:

Would you like something sweet to eat?

Yes, I would like something sweet.

But, expanded pronouns with the word “any” often appear in negative sentences, as in:

Did you see something?

No, I didn’t see anything.

Or:

Did you see somebody?

No, I didn’t see anybody.

Take our earlier example about sweets. Imagine how the sentence would change if it were negative:

Would you like something sweet to eat?

No thanks – I don’t feel like anything sweet.

What about no- and every- ?

In general, English speakers use expanded pronouns with the word “no” in statements ...

English Quotes - 10

1 . Don't worry about how things might turn out. Just remember that nothing came to those who didn't try.

2 . Worrying won't keep the bad stuff from happening. It just keeps you from enjoying the good.

3 . No matter what happens time will pass and things will never come back. Move on, enjoy your life.

4 . Sometimes you have to wake up in order to dream again.

5 .Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.

6 . Life is much like a joke, doesn't make much sense, until it ends.

7 . If someone wants to be a part of your life, they'll make an effort to be in it. Don't bother reserving a space in your heart for someone who doesn't make an effort to stay.

8 . The grass is only greener on the other side if you're not afraid to climb the fence.

9 . Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough to let go.

10 . The worst mistake anyone can make is being too afraid to make one.