Reading & WritingStandard English ConventionsHigh frequency

SAT Reading & Writing: Indefinite Pronouns and Agreement

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What you need to know

The concept, explained

  • 1

    Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people or things. The most commonly tested are singular.

  • 2

    Singular (memorize these): each, every, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, nobody, neither, either, one.

  • 3

    These ALWAYS take a singular verb, even if a plural prepositional phrase follows them.

  • 4

    Example: "Each of the students IS prepared." NOT "are." The subject is "Each," not "students."

  • 5

    Plural indefinite pronouns: both, few, many, several. These take plural verbs ("Both of the books ARE...").

Common mistakes
  • Looking at the noun in the prepositional phrase ("students") rather than the indefinite pronoun ("Each") and choosing a plural verb.
  • Treating "everyone" or "everybody" as plural because it implies a large group of people.
Try a sample question

SAT-style practice

Neither of the final candidates _____ the required background in advanced mathematics.

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