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Take a book, leave a book: indefinite pronouns like something and nobody

A2 learners practice indefinite pronouns such as someone, anything, nobody and everyone in this ESL lesson plan about a little free library.

Grammar
Some-, any-, no- and every- with -one, -body and -thing: some- in positive sentences, any- in questions and after not, no- with a positive verb (Nobody took it.), and one negative only.
Topic
Little Free Library, the take-a-book, share-a-book boxes that began in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 2009, with words such as borrow, return, steward and bulletin board.
Activities
Reading a little library's rules, hearing its steward and a voice message, practicing in self-checking drills, building a school notice in a chat and answering open boxes.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1Books in a box!

    • PictureUnlock
    • Spin the wheel and answerSpin the wheelUnlock
    • Study the words: little librariesVocabularyTry it
    • Look at the pictures and chooseChoose by pictureUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Let's read: a notice on the box

    • Look at the photo: a little libraryPictureUnlock
    • Read the notice on the little libraryReal-life documentTry it
    • Read and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Read again and choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Let's listen: Arlo and Grandpa

    • Listen to Nora and ArloListeningTry it
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Listen to Grandpa's challengeListeningUnlock
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Grammar: someone, anything, nobody

    • Study the scheme: someone, anything, nobodyGrammar schemeTry it
    • Choose the right wordChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: some-, any-, no- or every-Fill in the gapsTry it
    • Fill in the table: some-, not + any- or no-Fill in the tableUnlock
    • Choose the right sentenceQuizUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Let's talk: a notice for everyone

    • Choose the right replies: a notice for your schoolChatTry it
    • Open a box and answer: our little libraryOpen the boxUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Match the words and the meaningsMatchUnlock
    • Unscramble the wordsAnagramUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with the words from the lessonFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right wordChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: say it in another wayFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the right answerQuizUnlock
    • Sort the lines: the three parts of a noticeSort into columnsUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: a notice for your buildingDrag and dropUnlock

30 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Vocabulary

10 words and phrases from the lesson, each with a picture and audio in edio.

+7 more with pictures and audio in the lessonMore words

  • bulletin board
  • schoolhouse
  • front yard
  • paperback
  • cookbook
  • bookmark
  • stump

Grammar: indefinite pronouns with some-, any-, no- and every-

Indefinite pronouns name people and things without saying exactly who or what: someone, anything, nobody, everyone. A free book box is for whoever passes, so its rules are full of them. Learners pick the right start for each kind of sentence, keep one negative only and give every- and no- words a singular verb.

Someone, anything, nobody, everyone

some- in positive sentences, any- in questions and with not, no- with a positive verb, every- for all.

Four starts, three endings

Each word joins a start to -one or -body for people, or -thing for things. Some- goes in positive sentences (Someone left a book.), any- in questions and after not (Did anyone call?), no- with a positive verb, and every- means all the people or things.

some-, any-, no-, every-

StartPeopleThingsWhen?
some-someone, somebodysomethingpositive sentences: Someone left a book.
any-anyone, anybodyanythingquestions and not: Did anyone call? I didn't find anything.
no-no one, nobodynothinga positive verb, no not: Nobody took it.
every-everyone, everybodyeverythingall the people or things: Everyone can leave something.

At the little library

  • Does anyone want this book?
  • Nobody took it.
  • Everyone can leave something.
  • Somebody returned my cookbook!
  • I didn't borrow anything today.
  • Everything in the box is free.

One negative only

There are two ways to say no, and a sentence uses one of them, never both: I didn't find anything or I found nothing. There isn't anyone at the box means There's nobody at the box. Nobody didn't take it and I didn't find nothing are mistakes.

not + any-

  • I didn't find anything.
  • There isn't anyone at the box.
  • We don't pay anything.

no- + a positive verb

  • I found nothing.
  • There's nobody at the box.
  • Nobody pays anything. (any- after no-)

-one or -body: the same

Someone and somebody mean the same, and so do anyone and anybody, no one and nobody, everyone and everybody. No one is written as two words; the others are one.

  • someone = somebody
  • anyone = anybody
  • no one = nobody
  • everyone = everybody
  • no one: two words!

Everyone is, nobody knows

Every- and no- words take a singular verb, like he and she: Everyone is welcome. Nobody knows. Everything is free. Everyone are is a common slip, since the word means many people.

every- and no-: like he and she

Everyone, nobody and everything take is, was, has or a verb + -s: Everyone is welcome. Nobody knows. Everything is free. (Not: Everyone are…)

Anyone can…, and some- in offers

Anyone can take a book means every person can, whoever they are. For one person you don't know, say someone: Someone left a sandwich. Offers and requests keep some- in questions: Would you like something to read? Can someone help me?

Anyone can…

Anyone can take a book = every person can, it doesn't matter who. For one person, and you don't know who, say someone: Someone left a sandwich. (Not: Anyone left a sandwich.)

Questions and offers

In questions, we usually use any-: Is there anything for kids? Did anybody call? In offers and requests, some- is fine too: Would you like something to read? Can someone help me?

Common mistakes

  • Nobody didn't take it.

    Nobody took it.

    one negative only

  • I didn't find nothing.

    I didn't find anything. / I found nothing.

    one negative only

  • Everyone are here.

    Everyone is here.

    every- + is, has, -s

  • I saw anybody at the box.

    I saw somebody at the box.

    a positive sentence: some-

More lessons on this grammar: Pronouns lessons and exercises

Try the indefinite pronouns exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

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What's in the lesson

  • 17 auto-checked exercises
  • 4 games
  • 1 real-life document
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 set of word cards
  • 2 audio clips
  • 2 pictures
  • 2 transcripts

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • talk about a person or thing they don't name with some-: Someone left a book. Somebody returned my cookbook!
  • ask and say no with any-: Does anyone want this book? I didn't borrow anything today.
  • use nobody and nothing with a positive verb, keeping one negative only: Nobody took it. There's nothing in the box.
  • give everyone and everything a singular verb: Everyone is welcome. Everything in the box is free.

Lesson 27 belongs to Neighbors and community, the seventh of eight units in English A2.1 · Then and Now, where it comes third. The starting point is some and any, taught with plural nouns in lesson 15 of English A1.2 · Out and About; this lesson adds the words made from them with -one, -body and -thing. A notice on a free book box speaks to whoever walks by, so its rules need anyone, nobody and everyone.

A wheel of questions about reading starts the class; the word cards that follow, with pictures and audio, range from borrow and return to steward and stump. The reading is the notice on a little library in Hudson, Wisconsin, with the story of the first one, from 2009, and of Andrew Carnegie's 2,509 libraries. Nora's talk with Arlo, its steward, and a voice message from Grandpa are the two AI-voiced listenings. The scheme leads into four checked exercises, and in one of them a table answers Did you find anything? three ways. For speaking, students build a notice for a school bulletin board in a chat, choosing each line, then open boxes about a little library of their own.

Nine tasks make up the homework, and each checks itself: the new words three ways (matching, unscrambling and gap-filling), a choice of the right pronoun, negatives to say another way, word order, short answers, a notice's lines sorted into its three parts, and a notice for a building completed by drag-and-drop.

Grammar:
something, anything, nothing · someone, anyone, no one · somebody, anybody, nobody · everyone, everything · one negative only
Topic:
Little Free Library · Hudson, Wisconsin · libraries · neighbors · Ben Franklin · Andrew Carnegie

Teaching tips

  • Hide something in a box before class: students ask Is there anything in the box?, and you answer Yes, there's something in it until someone guesses what it is.
  • Ask what students do with old books before the reading, then let the notice explain how a little free library works: anyone can take a book or bring one to share.
  • Put the two ways to say no side by side: I didn't find anything and I found nothing. Students then turn a few more sentences from one form into the other aloud.
  • After the chat, pairs say their own notice: a title, a line with Anyone can…, one rule with Please don't leave anything… and a thank-you to everyone.

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The whole course: English A2.1 · Then and Now

32 lessons for adults at A2 in simple American English, from the past simple to going to, should and might. Eight units tell stories of journeys, American firsts, food, places, sports, music, neighbors and dreams. Pictures and definitions replace translations, and the practice exercises check themselves.See the course

  1. Unit 1 Amazing journeys

    the past simple, regular and irregular verbs, negatives, prepositions of movement

    1. Lesson 1Around the world in 72 daysThe past simple of regular verbs
    2. Lesson 2The first drive across AmericaIrregular verbs in the past simple
    3. Lesson 3Get your kicks on Route 66Past simple negatives with didn't
    4. Lesson 4She walked 2,000 miles in sneakersPrepositions of movement

  2. Unit 2 American firsts

    was and were, past questions and short answers, ago and in, could for past ability

    1. Lesson 5The first American woman in spaceWas, were, there was and there were
    2. Lesson 6A real bug in the computerPast simple questions with did
    3. Lesson 7“Mr. Watson, come here”Wh- questions in the past simple
    4. Lesson 8Twelve seconds in the airCould and couldn't for past ability

  3. Unit 3 American food

    countable and uncountable nouns, comparatives, ordering food, a few and a little

    1. Lesson 9The first chocolate chip cookieCountable and uncountable nouns in a recipe
    2. Lesson 10Is a jalapeño hotter than a habanero?Comparatives of short adjectives
    3. Lesson 11Two eggs, sunny side up!Offers and orders with would like
    4. Lesson 12Cooking for twenty on ThanksgivingA few, a little and a lot of

  4. Unit 4 City or country?

    comparatives with more and less, superlatives, as … as, too and enough

    1. Lesson 13The island with no carsComparatives with more and less, plus better, worse and farther
    2. Lesson 14America's extremesSuperlatives with the + -est, the most and the least
    3. Lesson 15San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!As … as for the same, not as … as for less
    4. Lesson 16A park on an old railroadToo, enough and not … enough

  5. Unit 5 Game on

    play, go and do with sports, going to, adverbs of manner, reflexive pronouns

    1. Lesson 17Basketball started with peach baskets?Play, go and do with sports
    2. Lesson 18What's going to happen at LA 2028?Be going to for plans and predictions
    3. Lesson 19Pickleball: a game from a backyardAdverbs of manner
    4. Lesson 20Be brave and tryReflexive pronouns and each other

  6. Unit 6 Music and nights out

    love, enjoy and hate + -ing, the present continuous for plans, suggestions, to for purpose

    1. Lesson 21Where jazz was bornGerunds after love, like, enjoy, hate and don't mind
    2. Lesson 22Music on every streetThe present continuous for future arrangements
    3. Lesson 23A night on BroadwaySuggestions with Let's, Why don't we and How about
    4. Lesson 24An orchestra for every kidThe infinitive of purpose and to or for

  7. Unit 7 Neighbors and community

    much and many, should, something and everyone, because and so

    1. Lesson 25Everybody cleans up!Much and many with nouns you can and can't count
    2. Lesson 26Good neighbors shovel snowShould and shouldn't + the base verb
    3. Lesson 27 · you're hereTake a book, leave a bookIndefinite pronouns with some-, any-, no- and every-
    4. Lesson 28A bench for making friendsBecause for reasons, so for results

  8. Unit 8 Plans and dreams

    verb + to, the present continuous vs going to, might, when, before and after

    1. Lesson 29Never give up: from farm fields to spaceVerb + to + the base form
    2. Lesson 30Across America by trainGoing to and the present continuous for the future
    3. Lesson 31Open in the year 6939Might and might not for possibility
    4. Lesson 32A college graduate at 95Time clauses with when, before and after

Questions about this lesson

What are indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns are words for people or things we don't name exactly: someone, anyone, nobody, everything. They join some-, any-, no- or every- to -one or -body for people and -thing for things: Someone left a book. Nobody pays anything. Everything in the box is free. The A2 lesson Take a book, leave a book on edio.ai teaches them through a little free library.
When do you use something, anything and nothing?
Use something in positive sentences, anything in questions and negatives, and nothing with a positive verb to mean not anything: I found something. Is there anything for kids? I didn't find anything. There's nothing in the box. The last two show the same idea in two ways. In offers, something works in a question too: Would you like something to read?
What's the difference between everyone and everybody?
Only the style differs, not the meaning: both mean all the people, and everybody sounds a little more casual. Everyone is welcome and Everybody is welcome say the same thing. Written as two words, every one means each single one: I read every one of them. In the chat of Take a book, leave a book, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, Everyone love a good joke is a wrong reply.
What's the difference between someone and somebody?
Someone and somebody mean the same: one person, when you don't know or don't say who. Both fit positive sentences: Someone left a sandwich in the box. Somebody returned my cookbook! In questions and after not, switch to anyone or anybody: Did anyone call? The same goes for no one and nobody, though no one is two words.
What is a double negative?
A double negative is two negative words in one clause, such as I didn't find nothing or Nobody didn't take it. Standard English uses one: I didn't find anything or I found nothing, and Nobody took it. So not pairs with any-, and a no- word takes a positive verb. The chat in Take a book, leave a book on edio.ai sets Nobody pays nothing as a trap.
Is anyone the same as anybody?
Yes: anyone and anybody are interchangeable, and both go in questions and after not: Does anyone want this book? We didn't see anybody. In a positive sentence, anyone can… means every person can, whoever they are: Anyone can take a book. For one person you don't know, use someone instead: I saw somebody at the box, not I saw anybody.
Is it "everyone is" or "everyone are"?
It's everyone is, with a singular verb, even though everyone means many people: Everyone is welcome. Everybody loves books. Everything is free. No- and some- words work the same way: Nobody knows. Someone was at the door. Treat them like he or she, with is, was, has or a verb with -s.
What goes on a notice for a bulletin board?
A short notice needs a title, how it works and where to ask, and indefinite pronouns fit every part: FREE BOOKS FOR EVERYONE! Anyone can take a book. Nobody pays anything. Please don't leave anything wet in the box. End with a thank-you: Questions? Ask me in Room 12. Thank you, everyone! In Take a book, leave a book on edio.ai, students build one in a chat by choosing each line.
How do I teach indefinite pronouns to A2 students?
Teach the starts before the endings: some- for positive sentences, any- for questions and not, no- for a positive verb, every- for all. Then add -one, -body and -thing, and drill the two ways to say no: I didn't find anything and I found nothing. A real text helps too; here it's a notice on a little library box, read before the scheme.
What's a good game for practicing indefinite pronouns?
Open-the-box questions about books and family make a good game: Does anyone in your family love books? Did anybody give you a great book? Say something you can leave in a little library. Each answer needs the right pronoun, as in Nobody in my family reads much or I can leave something funny. These boxes come from Take a book, leave a book, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, and work in pairs or with the whole class.
What's good homework for practicing indefinite pronouns?
Good homework is short drills that turn one negative into the other: I didn't find anything becomes I found nothing, and There isn't anyone at the box becomes There's nobody at the box. Choosing the right word and putting sentences in order help too, as long as every answer is checked. This lesson's homework has nine self-checking tasks, one of them exactly this.
Are there interactive exercises for indefinite pronouns?
Yes: drills that react to every answer suit the one-negative rule well. Anyone can play four parts of Take a book, leave a book, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, on this page, free and with no account: the notice on a little library box, the dialogue between Nora and the box's steward, a gap-fill that asks for some-, any-, no- or every-, and a chat that builds a notice for a school. The rest stays locked.
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