What part of speech is “none”
Pronoun
Definition:
None is an indefinite pronoun, used to describe something without referring to any specific thing. It is an emphatic form of 'not one' or 'no person'. For example, 'None of the students passed the test'. Because it is an indefinite pronoun, none is always singular. The plural of none is 'none of them'.
Rules:
When none is used as an indefinite pronoun, it always has a singular verb.
Examples:
1. None of the students attended the meeting.
2. I am giving none of my allowance to charity this month.
3. None of us can predict the future.
Tips:
When none is used as indefinite pronoun, it is always singular so the verb form that follows it must also be singular.
Adverb
Definition:
as an adverb, 'none' is used to emphasize the absence of a quantity or degree of something.
Examples:
She was tired yesterday, but today she feels none the worse for it.
He's none too pleased about the decision.
Tips:
When 'none' is used as an adverb, it often appears in comparative structures, emphasizing the absence of a certain quality or quantity. The phrase 'none the wiser' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'not knowing or understanding anything more than before.' It's important to differentiate between 'none' as a pronoun (e.g., 'None of the cakes are left') and 'none' as an adverb (e.g., 'He's none too happy').