English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
CLARIFYING PRONOUNS AND NOUN PHRASES
~No body~ was around when we got in (nonstandard).
*Nobody* was around when we got in (standard).
NOTE: Nobody (as a single word) is a pronouns which means not a single person, or not a single member of a particular group or set.
I doubt there were casualties; ~nobody~ was found on the floor (nonstandard).
I doubt there were casualties; *no body* was found on the floor (standard).
NOTE: No body (as two words) is a noun phrase where “no” qualifies the noun “body”.
GAB
