Let’s learn about 3 tiny little words that can cause mistakes and confusion for English learners: some, any, and no. When exactly do we use these, and how can you avoid errors? I’ll explain it all clearly in today’s lesson!
Make sure to download the free lesson guide to try the quiz inside – then you can be sure you’ve really understood when to use some, any, and no.
Some or Any?
Use SOME in positive statements.
- I’ve read some good books lately.
Use “some” with uncountable nouns and with plural countable nouns.
With singular countable nouns, just use a/an:
- I’ve read a good book lately.
Use ANY in negative statements (with don’t, didn’t, haven’t, etc)
- I haven’t read any good books lately.
Use “any” with uncountable nouns and with plural countable nouns. With singular countable nouns, just use a/an:
- I don’t have any pencils.
(pencils = plural countable noun) - I don’t have any paper.
(paper = uncountable noun) - I don’t have any dictionary.
I don’t have a dictionary.
(dictionary = singular countable noun)
Use ANY in questions:
- Have you read any good books lately?
Exception: Always use SOME when offering something (would you like…?) or asking for something (can I have…?)
- Can I have some soda?
- Would you like some chicken?
Any or No?
In sentences that begin with “There,” you can say them two different ways:
- There aren’t any books on the table.
= There are no books on the table. - There isn’t any milk in the fridge.
= There‘s no milk in the fridge. - There wasn’t any music at the party.
= There was no music at the party. - There weren’t any cookies in the box.
= There were no cookies in the box.
Both forms are correct!
Double Negatives
Never use “not” and “no” together:
- There aren’t no books on the table.
- There isn’t no milk in the fridge.
- There wasn’t no music at the party.
- There weren’t no cookies in the box.
Something / Anything / Nothing
The same rules apply to something, anything, and nothing:
- I want to try something new this year.
- I didn’t eat anything at the restaurant.
- Are you doing anything interesting this weekend?
- There’s nothing to do in this town.
Someone / Anyone / No one
Somebody / Anybody / Nobody
Someone and somebody are the same, as are anyone and anybody and no one and nobody.
- Someone forgot to turn the lights off before leaving.
- I don’t know anyone who works from home.
- Did you meet anyone new at the conference?
- Nobody likes the new teacher.
Somewhere / Anywhere / Nowhere
- Let’s go somewhere warm on our next vacation.
- I can’t find my keys anywhere!
- Did you go anywhere else before coming home?
- The waiting room was so crowded that there was nowhere to sit down.
Do you think you’ve mastered the use of some, any, and no? Go ahead and download the PDF to try the quiz! I want to make sure your English grammar is correct, so that you can be confident about it.
You can learn a lot more inside my basic and intermediate grammar e-books, as well as my advanced grammar course.
