DETERMINERS: SOME & ANY

We use the determiners some and any to speak about indefinite quantities or numbers, when the exact
quantity or number that we are thinking of is not important.
In the most basic terms, we can say that we use some for affirmative statements, and any for questions and
negative statements:
I need some new clothes.
We haven't got any sugar.
Do you have any pins?
It is possible, however, to use some in questions and any in affirmative statements in certain circumstances.
When we are make an offer, or a request, and we want to encourage the person we are speaking to to say
"es", we use some in our question:
Would you mind getting some bread while you're at the shops?
Shall I bring some drinks to the party?
We use any in affirmative statements if it comes after a word whose meaning is negative or limiting:
He never does any good deeds.
She rarely has any food to offer us.
hey neglected to offer any advice.
!ust do it without any fuss or bother"
In conditional sentences, we can often use some and any with no difference in meaning:
If they need some#any more supplies$ they should %ust tell us.
!he same rules that apply for some and any also apply for somebody"anybody, someone"anyone,
somewhere"anywhere, something"anything:
He never does anything bad.
I need somewhere to sleep.
Do you know anyone who could help us?
PRACTICE
I. #ill in all the gaps with $some% or $any.
&. I can see a house, a lake and ''''' trees. some
(. )atalia hasn*t got ''''' friends in +thens. any
,. I like ''''' songs by -icki .artin but not all of them. some
/. +re there ''''' messages for me0 any
1. !here are ''''' chocolate biscuits in the cupboard. some
2. We*ve got one dog, two cats and ''''' fish. some
3. !here aren*t ''''' banana trees in 4cotland. any
5. 6ave you got ''''' games for your computer0 any
7. Would you like ''''' grapes0 some
&8. I can*t find ''''' books about dinosaurs. any
II. #ill in all the gaps with $some%, $any or $no%.
&. 9nly ''' of his friends came. )ot all of them. some
(. !here isn*t ''' food in the refrigerator, is there0 any
,. We are broke. We have ''' money to buy grandpa a gift. no
/. I bought a loaf of bread and ''' cheese at the supermarket yesterday. some
1. :on*t you know the proverb: "''' news is good news"0 no
2. We don*t have ''' sugar or flour to make the cake. any
3. ''' place he chooses to go will be fine. any
5. :on*t close the door. !here are still ''' children outside. some
7. Why don*t you decorate the room with ''' white flowers0 some
&8. I*m busy. I have ''' time to chat with you now. no
&&. ''' people prefer to study in the morning; others at night. some
&(. If you have ''' problem, call me. any
&,. !here aren*t ''' books on this topic in the library. any
&/. ''' book about camping will tell you how to put up a tent. any
&1. I gave him ''' medicine for his headache, so he feels much better now. some
&2. !he teacher has ''' time to correct the compositions now. 4he has a meeting with the school director.
no
&3. I have ''' dictionaries in my room that you are welcome to use. some
&5. 6ere are ''' nice ripe apples. some
&7. ''' matter what he does, they will not accept him in the group. no
(7. !hey haven*t asked us ''' questions so far. any
,8. 6e doesn*t want ''' dessert, for he*s on a diet. any
,&. 6e always gives ''' money to charity. 6e*s a very generous person. some
,(. We are taking a short ride. !here*s ''' time for a long one. no
,,. !he poor man has ''' food to eat. 6e*s starving. no
II. -ewrite the following sentences as negative statements, in which the word some is replaced by the word
any. #or example:
6e has sold some apples.
6e has not sold any apples.
I need to buy some shoes.
I do not need to buy any shoes.
&. I will make some salad.
(. We need some onions.
,. I have met some of your friends.
/. 6e has photographed some of the most beautiful parts of the city.
1. 4he wants to take some courses in +rchaeology.
2. I recogni<ed some of the students.
3. We have visited some of the offshore islands.
5. I have read some books by that author.
7. !here is some danger involved.
&8. I have some reservations about your plan.
&&. !hey have interviewed some of the contestants.
&(. 4he bought some of the books second=hand.
&nswers
'. I will not make any salad. (. We do not need any onions. ). I have not met any of your friends. *. He has
not photographed any of the most beautiful parts of the city. +. She does not want to take any courses in
&rchaeology. ,. I did not recogni-e any of the students. .. We have not visited any of the offshore islands. /.
I have not read any books by that author. 0. here is not any danger involved. '1. I do not have any
reservations about your plan. ''. hey have not interviewed any of the contestants. '(. She did not buy any
of the books second2hand.