Grammar
Some and any: make clear choices
At a picnic, Leo says, "I brought some sandwiches." Later, Priya asks, "Do we have any napkins?" Both speakers talk about an unknown quantity, but their sentences have different jobs.
Choose some or any by identifying an affirmative statement, a negative statement, an information question, an offer, or a request.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Can I get you some tea? /kæn aɪ ɡet juː səm tiː/
The short answer
Use some in affirmative statements and often in offers or requests. Use any in negative statements and information questions. Put both words before plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns.
There is some soup in the pan.
Why it works: The affirmative statement presents soup as available.
5 more examples
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We packed some apples for the journey.
This affirmative statement says that apples are in the bag.
Not this:We did not pack
any applesfor the journey. What changes: The negative statement says that no apples were packed, so any is usual. -
Nora needs some information about the course.
Information is uncountable, and the sentence says that Nora needs an unspecified amount.
Not this:Nora does not have
any informationabout the course. What changes: Does not makes the statement negative, so any fits. -
Are there any seats near the window?
The speaker is checking whether seats are available.
Not this:Could you save
some seatsnear the window? What changes: This is a request for seats, so some is natural. -
Can I get you some tea after lunch?
The question offers tea rather than simply checking whether tea exists.
Not this:Is there
any teain the cupboard? What changes: This question asks for information about tea, so any is usual. -
If you need any advice, speak to your tutor.
In this open condition, any means that one piece of advice or more would count.
Not this:I have
some advicefor your presentation. What changes: The affirmative statement presents advice as available.
Read the full guide
Start with the speaker's purpose. The speaker may say that something is available, say that it is absent, check whether it exists, offer it, or ask for it. That purpose gives you a useful first choice between some and any.
Find the job of the sentence
Before choosing a word, ask what the speaker is doing. An affirmative statement usually uses some. A negative statement usually uses any. A question may be a neutral request for information, an offer, or a request for something.
There are some maps at the desk. There are not any maps at the desk.
The noun stays the same. The first speaker says maps are present. The second speaker says none are present.
Complete the sentence: I do not have ___ cash with me.
Use any: I do not have any cash with me. The statement is negative.
Use some to present an amount
Use some when an affirmative statement introduces an unspecified quantity. It can come before a plural countable noun or an uncountable noun. The speaker does not need to give an exact number or amount.
My neighbor gave me some tomatoes.
There is some paint in the garage.
Tomatoes are countable and plural. Paint is uncountable. Some works with both noun patterns.
Use any after a negative and in an information question
Use any after a negative verb form, such as do not, cannot, or did not. Also use any in a question that only checks whether something exists. The speaker does not show an expectation that the answer will be yes.
I cannot find any batteries for the radio.
Did you receive any emails this morning?
Cannot makes the first sentence negative. The second sentence asks for information and does not offer or request anything.
Which question is a neutral check: Do you have some bread, or Do you have any bread?
Use Do you have any bread? when you only want to know whether bread is available.
Use some in offers and requests
A question mark alone does not require any. Use some when you offer something or politely ask for something. The speaker treats the thing as wanted, available, or likely to be accepted.
Can I bring you some water?
May I borrow some paper, please?
The first question offers water. The second asks for paper. Compare Is there any water in the bottle? That question only checks whether water exists.
Choose a noun pattern that fits
For the quantity meaning, put some or any before plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. Say some messages, any messages, some luggage, or any luggage. A singular countable noun needs a word such as a, one, or this.
Have you got any relatives in Canada?
We need some luggage for the trip.
Relatives is plural and countable. Luggage is uncountable. Both can follow some or any.
Choose the phrase for more than one message: some message or some messages?
Use some messages. The ordinary quantity pattern uses a plural countable noun when you mean more than one item.
Check the reason for the question
When you see a question, decide whether it checks for information or does something else. A neutral check usually takes any. An offer and a request often take some because the speaker has a practical purpose beyond checking.
A: Is there any fruit left? B: Yes, there is some in the bowl.
The first speaker checks whether fruit remains. The reply says that fruit is present.
You want to offer snacks to a visitor. Which word should you use?
Use some: Can I get you some snacks? This question is an offer.
Before you go
Remember this
Use some when you present an amount as present and in many offers or requests. Use any in negative statements and questions that only check for an amount. Then check that the noun is plural countable or uncountable.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Some and any: make clear choices"
What is the basic difference between some and any?
Use some when an affirmative statement presents an unspecified amount or number as present, as in We packed some apples for the journey. Use any in a negative statement or an information question, as in We did not pack any apples or Are there any seats near the window?
We packed some apples for the journey.
Why does some appear in an offer?
An offer does more than ask whether something exists. Can I get you some tea after lunch? offers tea to another person, so some is natural. Compare Is there any tea in the cupboard? That question only asks for information about the tea.
We did not pack any apples for the journey.
Can some and any be used with uncountable nouns?
Yes. Use some or any with uncountable nouns such as information, tea, paint, and luggage. Nora needs some information about the course is an affirmative statement. Nora does not have any information about the course is negative.
Nora needs some information about the course.
Can any appear in an affirmative sentence?
Yes. Any is common in an open condition, such as If you need any advice, speak to your tutor. The instruction applies if one piece of advice or more is needed. This differs from I have some advice for your presentation, which presents advice as available.
Nora does not have any information about the course.
Do I use some or any before a singular countable noun?
For the usual quantity meaning, use some and any before plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns. Say some messages, any relatives, or some luggage. For one countable item, use a different determiner, such as a message, one relative, or this suitcase.
Are there any seats near the window?