Instructions
We use some and any for talking about indefinite numbers or amounts of things. We use them with nouns or on their own, as pronouns.
I know about some and any. You use some in positive sentences and any in questions and negatives, right?
Well, yes, often.
We've got some amazing chocolate cake, and some carrot cake.
Have you got any chocolate cake?
I haven't had any carrot cake for ages.
But we also use any in positive sentences.
Any cake will do. Surprise me.
She can tell you everything about ... well, about anything!
Oh, so what’s the rule?
We use some for talking about a limited number or amount; and we use any for an unlimited number or amount. For example, imagine you are talking about different kinds of cake. All these sentences are possible:
A I like any kind of cake. (= all kinds of cake, unlimited)
B I don't like any kind of cake. (= 0 kinds of cake, unlimited)
C I like some kinds of cake. (= a limited number of kinds of cake)
D I don't like some kinds of cake. (= a limited number of kinds of cake)
OK, I think that’s clear. I like any kind of music. I don’t like some dogs.
Yes, if you like all music and if you also like some dogs.
Yes, I like most dogs, but not dogs that bite, or dogs that are ill.
OK, then.
And what about questions? Can we use both some and any in questions?
Yes, we use both.
Would you like some more coffee?
Would you like any more to eat?
Here the difference is very small. The speaker is thinking of a limited amount in the first question, and an unlimited amount in the second question. In both questions we could use some or any.
Sometimes we use some when we expect the answer to be “yes”. We use any when we don’t know what the answer will be; we are asking whether something exists.
Can I have some sugar? (I know there’s some sugar)
Is there any cake left? (I don’t know whether there’s any cake)
Are you waiting for somebody? (I think you are)
Is anybody coming to meet you? (I don’t know)
Did you say we can use some and any on their own, as pronouns?
Yes, we don’t need to repeat the noun.
Is there any cake?
Yes, do you want some? / Sorry, there isn’t any. / Sorry, there’s none left.
Ah, none. That’s new to me.
Yes, we can use none or no + noun instead of not any.
Have we got any onions?
No, there aren’t any. / There are none left.
We haven’t got any money. = We have no money.
What about somebody, anybody, everybody and nobody? Can you tell me more about how you use those words?
Of course. Somebody/anybody/nobody/everybody are used as singular nouns, even though everybody refers to more than one person and anybody can mean more than one person.
I saw somebody outside the window. (= 1 person)
There’s nobody there. (= 0 person)
Everybody knows that The Beatles were from Liverpool. (= all people)
Has anybody seen my keys? (= 1+ people)
Is somebody the same as someone?
Yes, it’s the same. We also use:
People: someone - anyone - no one - everyone
Things: something - anything - nothing - everything
Places: somewhere - anywhere - nowhere - everywhere
OK, I think that’s everything for today. I’ve got to go somewhere to meet somebody.
You don’t want to ask anything else?
No, thank you!
Worksheets and downloads
Transcript
Discussion
What snacks do you and your friends like to have together? What do you have to drink with them?
Comments
I love some tea and scones or bagles. I usually eat those in the morning for breakfast, but sometimes I eat cereal instead. I don't like burgers or pizzas or chickens.
I like to eat some chips with my friends. I usually drink a tea with them, too.
I like to have some cookies, chocolate, cake with my friends. I like to have melon soda, juice together.
My friends and I like to eat chips and chocolate. Together we drink Coca-Cola.
My friends and I like eat chips, cakes, chocolate, pizza and sushi. We drink Fanta, Tea, Coca Cola and Water.
I and my friends like eating some pieces of chocolate cakes or bread and Nutella together. With them, we like drinking coca cola or milk.
the snack i eat with my friends is pizza and coca-cola
i like pizza and french , i don't like juices with bubbles.
Me and my friedns like pizza and whit it we drink coca-cola. It's our favourite snack
What snacks do you and your friends like to have together? What do you have to drink with them?
It depends on our moods . But I , for one , like chocolate cake . Any drinks will do !
I eat Chinese food at the dinner and lunch . My mum cook lunch box in every morning for me. That is Chinese food include.I like that.I also love eating snack.I eat chocolate so often .It is include nuts that makes me happy.I don't eat Italian and French food. French restaurants is very expensive for me .
I Even tried everything
Hello, I just love the videos of the grammar snacks, it helps me use better words,
I love LearnEnglish teens
I Usually invite some of my friends over to eat Tacos. My friends often drinks coca cola and I prefer Fanta exotic.
I like to eat any country foods but the best food that I love is Chinese food like sushi. My mum is also like me, not my dad. I like drinking Fanta, juice and Coca-Cola Zero tins. Sometimes on Friday, as a family, we eat two kinds of pizza or other menus.
chocolates
My friend and I love all the food we are happy if there are food and we enjoy all the snacks that we can together. we really like chips and Doritos and we eat it with soda and sometimes we only eat the snacks alone.
We eat a lot of cookies and chips all the days and we share between us the food that we have
My friends and I like a few cupcakes and pizza with fries and lots of tomato sauce and mayonnaise. We also like cookies and all the salt snacks prepared with sausages like sausage or ham, do not love ordering the pizza to go.
I always drink caffe latte Machiato and my friends always drink juice they are vegetarian and we always eat pizza but my friend always eat vegetarian pizza
when I go out with my friends almost always we eat tacos, and usually drink beer.
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Me and my best friend love the ice cream !! we usually go to Santo Domingo to eat it .
in a party with my friend, our like to eat pizza and drink soda.
Most of my friends like pizza. Usually we go to eat some pizza and drink soda after college
when I go out with friends we like to eat pizza .We usually drink beer or soda.
when I go out with my friends we go to eat to bbq wings and usually we prefer to drink beer and fruit juice
when I go out with my friends we prefer to eat some candies or drink smothies. Our favorite smothie is Strawberry with banano.
I love pizza, but some of them don't like it. When i go out with them i usually eat chocolates and drink soda.
A some of my friends and I would like to eat hamburger or pizza, but some of them don't like hamburguer. We like to drink orange juice or a beer cold.
I like the pizza, when I go out with my friends our favorite snack is chocolata and
some of my friends prefer peanuts or crackers
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