any, every, no, some

Follow the guidelines below when forming compounds from the words any, every, no and some. Note that these compounds take a singular verb, whether they are written as solid compounds (i.e. one-word compounds) or as two separate words.

Compounds formed with body, thing and where

The words any, every, no and some form solid compounds when combined with body, thing and where:

• anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody
• anything, everything, nothing, something
• anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, somewhere

Compounds formed with one

Write someone as a solid compound:

• Someone must tell the police.

Write no one as two separate, unhyphenated words in all situations.

• No one came.
• No one of us knew the combination.

Write anyone and everyone as solid compounds when they could be replaced by anybody and everybody:

• Anyone (or anybody) can participate.
• Does anyone (or anybody) know how to perform CPR?
• Would everyone (or everybody) who is planning to attend the lobster supper please sign the list.
• Everyone (or everybody) is in agreement.

Write any one and every one as two separate, unhyphenated words if one is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with of:

• Any one of you would have reacted the same way in such awkward circumstances.
• Does any one of your group know how to speak Mandarin? [Or Doesanyone/anybody in your group…]
• Every one of us can do it.
• Each and every one of you must take the responsibility.

Note that anyone, every one and some one refer only to people; however, any one and every one can refer either to people or to things.

© Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus^®, la banque de données terminologiques et linguistiques du gouvernement du Canada
Outils d'aide à la rédaction – Writing Tips
Un produit du Bureau de la traduction