Tip 15
Some\Any - Part 3
in the two previous tips we mostly learned the meaning of the quantifiers -some- and -any-
But how do we use them correctly?
There are three things we need to remember when using these quantifiers:
- We use -some mostly in affirmative and interrogative sentences.
- we use -any- mostly when making questions and negatives.
- some isn’t used in negative sentences.
– I have some money. (affirmative)
– Do you have some money? Do you have any money? (interrogative)
– I don’t have any money. (negative)
– I don’t have some money – (incorrect sentence)
The words -some- and -any- are in fact very important building blocks in the English language - go over the words from the chart below and check their meaning in the dictionary:
Some
| something | somewhat | someone | someday |
| somewhere | someway | somebody | some sort |
| some kind | somehow | sometimes | someplace |
Any
| anyone | anybody | anything |
| anyway | anytime | anymore |
| anyplace | anyhow | anyday |
Some:
- I need to tell you something
- Someone told me that you’re leaving tomorrow
- Someday I will be a millionaire!
- He somehow managed to escape
- It’s somewhat true
- Is there someway to solve this?
- The restaurant is somewhere around here
- Does somebody here know how to get to the train station?
- This is some sort\kind of animal
- He somehow succeeded to win the game
- Sometimes she goes to work at 9 and sometimes at 8
- I want to go someplace exciting
Any:
- Do you know anyone? I don’t know anyone around here
- Anybody who wants some chocolate cake, raise their hand
- Do you need anything? I don’t need anything
- Anyway\anyhow… I decided not to go to the party eventually
- You can come visit me anytime, my door is always open
- I don’t want anymore cake
- when is the package coming? Anyday now
- Anyplace there is sunshine there is life
As we can see, –some– and –any– have many relatives and are very important words in the English language.
Next time you’re writing an email or having a chat with a native English speaker, try to implement what you’ve learned in the last 3 tips about –some– and –any-, and you will quickly notice a great improvement.
