"Some" and "any".

How to use the words some and any.

Some and any as articles.

In general, it is best to think of some and any as plural articles of a and an. It is best to read about the articles before you study the section below.

In general, we can say that some is used for affirmative sentences and any in negatives sentences and questions:

There are some books on the chair.

There aren't any books on the chair.

Are there any books on the chair?

Some and any can refer to countable nouns (in plural) and uncountable nouns:

There's some milk in the fridge.

There aren't any biscuits left.

Were there any people in the park today?

Other negative words and expressions like never, hardly ever, and without also take any or the use of words like stop, prevent:

You never give me any money.

I hardly ever see any friends these days.

You can't make an omelette without breaking any eggs.

The motorbikes at night prevented/stopped me from getting any sleep.

Two ways to negate: any and no.

There is no meaning difference between:

There aren't any people on the beach.
There isn't any petrol in the car.

and,

There are no people on the beach.
There's no petrol in the car.

The first examples use not + any to make a negative. The second examples use no to make a negative. Both are possible and common in spoken English. The no structure is preferred in more formal written English:

Police have found no evidence to suggest Mr. Jones is guilty.

Double negatives.

What must be avoided in English is the double negative. We cannot express a negative in the following way:

There aren't no people on the beach.
There isn't no petrol in the car.

The reason for this is a simple mathematical rule:

I have not (any*) bananas = 0 bananas.

I have not no bananas = some bananas.

*Remember that any is always a positive word and not negative.

Speakers of the French and Spanish languages, which allow double negatives, may find this difficult to understand. Fortunately, this error is more common among native English speakers and not foreign students.

Exceptions to the general rules.

However, some is preferred when we offer something to somebody, we ask for something or we expect the answer to be "yes".

Would you like some more cake?

Mum, have you got some money you can lend me?

Can I have some cream in my coffee, please?

Any can be used if affirmative sentences when the meaning is "it doesn't matter which". For example, a teacher walks into a classroom and asks:

Excuse me, have you got a chair I can take?

Yes. Take any chair you like (it doesn't matter which chair).

Something, anything, etc.

These are pronouns we use to talk about: things, people and places. The grammar of these words is similar to the rules for some and any:

Things: something, anything, nothing.

People: somebody, anybody, nobody.

Places: somewhere, anywhere, nowhere.

Affirmative sentences:

There is something on that chair.
Somebody came to see me yesterday.
I want to go somewhere this weekend.

Questions:

Is there anything on that chair?
Did anybody come to see you yesterday?
Are you going anywhere this weekend?

Negatives:

There is nothing I can do.
or,
There isn't anything I can do.

Offering or expecting affirmative answers:

Would you like something to eat?
Would you like to go somewhere with me this weekend?

Note the answers to these questions:

"Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No, nothing" (not, "no, anything").

"Do you know any people in this town?"
"No, none" or "no, nobody" (not, "no, any").

"How much money have you got?"
"Nothing" (not, "anything").

Exercises on some and any, something, anything, etc...