Basic Details
Word: Anybody
Part of Speech: Pronoun
Meaning: Any person at all. It is used mainly in questions and negative sentences, and to mean no matter who.
Synonyms: anyone
Antonyms: nobody
How to Spell Anybody
Syllables: an - y - bod - y
Tricky part: It is one closed word with two y's, one at the end of any and one at the end of body. Students sometimes write anibody or add an e at the end.
Watch out for: anibody, enybody, anybodey
Memory tip: Build it like its family: some + body, no + body, every + body, any + body. Keep the y of any; it does not change to i.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Has anybody seen my geometry box?
Example 2: Anybody can learn to swim with a little practice.
Example 3: I didn't tell anybody about the surprise party for Dadi.
Fun Fact
Anybody takes a singular verb, so we say anybody is welcome, not anybody are welcome, even though it can refer to many possible people.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these compound words is spelt correctly. Choose it.
a) somthing
b) anybody
c) evrywhere
d) nowere
Show answer
b) anybody. Anybody joins any and body without a change; the others should read something, everywhere and nowhere.
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to anybody as used in the sentence:
Is there anybody in the staff room who can lend me a stapler?
a) someone
b) somebody
c) nobody
d) anyone
Show answer
c) nobody. Nobody means not a single person, the reverse of anybody; anyone, somebody and someone all mean a person.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The guard said that ydnobay could enter the museum free on Sunday.
a) anyhow
b) anybody
c) everybody
d) nobody
Show answer
b) anybody. Seven letters with two y's and an a can only be anybody; nobody has two o's and no a.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which word can replace anybody in Can anybody answer this?
a) anyone
b) always
c) anything
d) anywhere
Show answer
a) anyone
2. Which phrase needs any and body as two separate words?
a) hardly anybody came
b) anybody can play
c) if anybody asks
d) any body of water
Show answer
d) any body of water
