Question

difference between somebody and anybody

Answer 1

you should prefer somebody when a particular person is implied, although you don't know who it is. Anybody can be used when you have no particular person in mind



ex:-

However, there is a major difference between somebody and anybody. anybody is one of the "negative valency" words in English, which is required when the main verb of the sentence is negated.

I haven't seen anybody. [Correct]

! I haven't seen somebody. [Incorrect]

Conversely, in sentences in which the main verb is affirmative (not negated), the preferred pronoun should be somebody and not anybody.

I saw somebody in the hall. [Correct]

! I saw anybody in the hall. [Incorrect]

Answer 2

Anybody is pronoun with no specific reference. It means any one.
We use this when we speak to a group or when there is no known person refer to.
Somebody is more specific and in some contexts may imply a named person but the actual name is omitted - - or unknown
Hope this helps...