G
ESC
  • Type to search across all units
← All units

Unit 78 · Determiners and pronouns

not + anybody/anyone/anything nobody/no-one/nothing

Study

A

not + anybody/anyone nobody/no-one (for people)

›

There isn't anybody / anyone in the room.

›

There is nobody / no-one in the room.

›

A: Who is in the room? B: Nobody / No-one.

-body and -one are the same: anybody = anyone nobody = no-one

not + anything nothing (for things)

›

There isn't anything in the bag.

›

There is nothing in the bag.

›

A: What's in the bag? B: Nothing.

B

not + anybody/anyone

›

I don't know anybody (or anyone) here.

nobody = not + anybody no-one = not + anyone

›

I'm lonely. I have nobody to talk to. (= I don't have anybody)

›

The house is empty. There is no-one in it. (= There isn't anyone in it.)

not + anything

›

I can't remember anything.

nothing = not + anything

›

She said nothing. (= She didn't say anything.)

›

There's nothing to eat. (= There isn't anything to eat.)

C

You can use nobody/no-one/nothing at the beginning of a sentence or alone (to answer a question):

›

The house is empty. Nobody lives there.

›

'Who did you speak to?' 'No-one.'

›

Nothing happened.

›

'What did you say?' 'Nothing'

D

Remember: negative verb + anybody/anyone/anything positive verb + nobody/no-one/nothing

›

He doesn't know anything. (not He doesn't know nothing)

›

Don't tell anybody. (not Don't tell nobody)

›

There is nothing to do in this town. (not There isn't nothing)

Exercises (5)

0/5 exercises checked
—
78.1

Write these sentences again with nobody/no-one or nothing.

  1. 1
    There isn't anything in the bag. There's example
  2. 2
    There isn't anybody in the office. There's
  3. 3
    I don't have anything to do. I
  4. 4
    There isn't anything on TV.
  5. 5
    There wasn't anyone at home.
  6. 6
    We didn't find anything.
78.2

Write these sentences again with anybody/anyone or anything.

  1. 1
    There's nothing in the bag. There isn't example
  2. 2
    There was nobody on the bus. There wasn't
  3. 3
    I have nothing to read. I don't
  4. 4
    I have no-one to help me. I don't
  5. 5
    She heard nothing. She didn't
  6. 6
    We have nothing for dinner. We don't
78.3

Answer these questions with nobody/no-one or nothing.

  1. 1
    What did you say? example
  2. 2
    Who saw you? example
  3. 3
    What do you want?
  4. 4
    Who did you meet?
  5. 5
    Who knows the answer?
  6. 6
    What did you buy?
  7. 7
    What happened?
  8. 8
    Who was late?
78.3b

Now answer the same questions with full sentences. Use nobody/no-one/nothing or anybody/anyone/anything.

  1. 1
    What did you say?
    I didn't example
  2. 2
    Who saw you?
    example
  3. 3
    What do you want?
    I don't
  4. 4
    Who did you meet?
    I
  5. 5
    Who knows the answer?
    the answer.
  6. 6
    What did you buy?
  7. 7
    What happened?
  8. 8
    Who was late?
78.4

Complete the sentences. Use: nobody / no-one / nothing or anybody / anyone / anything

  1. 1
    That house is empty. lives there.example
  2. 2
    Jack has a bad memory. He can't remember .
  3. 3
    Be quiet! Don't say .
  4. 4
    I didn't know about the meeting. told me.
  5. 5
    'What did you have to eat?' '. I wasn't hungry.'
  6. 6
    I didn't eat . I wasn't hungry.
  7. 7
    Helen was sitting alone. She wasn't with .
  8. 8
    I'm afraid I can't help you. There's I can do.
  9. 9
    I don't know about car engines.
  10. 10
    The museum is free. It doesn't cost to go in.
  11. 11
    I heard a knock on the door, but when I opened it, there was there.
  12. 12
    The hotel receptionist spoke very fast. I didn't understand .
  13. 13
    'What are you doing tonight?' '. Why?'
  14. 14
    Sophie has gone away. knows where she is. She didn't tell where she was going.