Everybody

'Everybody' is an indefinite pronoun that refers to a total number of people. In this part, we will go through its uses and grammatical rules in English grammar

Everybody is an indefinite pronoun used to refer to a total number of people or things. In this lesson, we will discuss when and how to use it.

'Everybody' as an Indefinite Pronoun

Use

Everybody is a universal indefinite pronoun. As we mentioned earlier, it is used to refer to a total number of people or things and it acts as the subject or the object of the sentence. Take a look at the following examples:

Everybody is gathered at the main hall.

'Everybody' is the subject here.

I sent the invitations to everybody in class.

'Everybody' is the object.

Position in a Sentence

Everybody as an indefinite pronoun replaces the subject or the object. It is always used with a singular verb. For example:

Is everybody on board?

'Everybody' is the subject and is used with a singular verb.

Everybody knows how to teach in the class.

Negation with 'Everybody'

Everybody is a positive pronoun so in order to make it negative, there are three options:
1. We use 'not' before everybody.
2. Nobody as a negative indefinite pronoun can be used instead of everybody.
3. Anybody as an indefinite pronoun can be used with a negative verb.
Take a look at the following examples:

Not everybody wants to be engaged in such activities.

'Not' is headed 'everybody.'

Everybody has to work independently but nobody is forced to.

Anybody is not forced to work that hard.

'Every Body' as a Noun

Every body is a noun phrase and it mostly refers to these nouns:
1. Every single body of humans (dead or alive)
2. The body of a plane, the body of a government, the body of a text, etc.
For example:

We are transferring every body from the crime scene to the morgue.

'Every body' refers to the dead people in the crime scene.

Tip

Everybody can be replaced with they when it is repeated in a sentence. Accordingly, its object pronoun is them, its possessive determiner is their, and its possessive pronoun is theirs. Look:

Everybody knows what is happening here. Don't they?

I know everybody in here although I don't talk to them.

Everybody should know their red lines.

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