>When I was in grade school, my English teacher would make us write 'anyone' 100 times if we used the word 'anybody' instead. Showing an example in the grammar books of the usage of 'anybody' would only incite her. Indefinite pronouns...I have terrible memories!
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>All are correct:
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>Was anybody at home?
>Is anyone in the house?
>Anybody can do it.
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>I think endings in 'body' are more common in American English than in British English (that is why my teacher preferred anyone). That was a LONG time ago though, so it may not be true now.
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>This is funny (found it on the web):
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>Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, and Nobody
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>Once upon a time there were four advertising agents. Their names were: Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, and Nobody. They were very busy workers, but whenever there was an important job to be done, Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. When Nobody did it, Everybody got angry because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that Nobody would do it. So consequently Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done in the first place.
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>Everybody had a good idea. Nobody thought somebody would follow it through. Somebody thought anybody could work on it. Anybody thought everybody should do it. Eveybody thought someone would do it. So nobody did anything. Now they all worked in the same company and the company held a great competition: Who could produce the best ad? Everybody thought anybody could win something. Anybody thought somebody should win. Somebody thought everybody would win. Nobody thought nobody would win. What did they win? Nothing!
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ROTFL. I'll send this to my friends...