In short, “somebody’s” is the grammatically standard form (possessive/contraction); “somebodies” is a nonstandard attempted plural that should generally be replaced with “some people” in careful writing.
Side-by-Side Examples
Correct: “Somebody’s left their bag here” (contraction). Correct: “That’s somebody’s responsibility” (possessive). Nonstandard: “There are somebodies waiting outside” — should be “there are some people waiting outside.”
Why the Confusion Persists
English pluralizes most nouns by adding “-s” or “-es,” so it feels intuitive to apply the same rule to “somebody” — but indefinite pronouns like “somebody,” “anybody,” and “everybody” don’t follow standard noun pluralization rules.
The One Legitimate Exception
“Somebodies” (informal) can describe people who are considered important — “they act like they’re somebodies now” — but this is a fixed idiom, not a general grammatical rule you can apply elsewhere.
Quick Reference
Possession or contraction → “somebody’s.” Multiple unspecified people → “some people.” People of importance (informal idiom only) → “somebodies.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Which form should I default to if unsure? Default to “somebody’s” for possession/contraction, and “some people” for plural references — avoid “somebodies” unless using the specific idiom.
Is this a common mistake in writing? Yes — it’s one of the more frequently searched grammar confusions involving indefinite pronouns.
