SOME VS ANY

A very common conflict for students who are studying English as a second or foreign language is that they tend to mistake some and any. Here is a brief explanation on how to use them correctly. Also, there is a video and some exercises.


VIDEO LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvpc6vZ1HXs

Explanation
Positive Clauses
In positive clauses, we usually use some.

Example:

I have bought some bread.

I have bought some apples.

Negative Clauses

In negative clauses, we use any. Note, however, that any alone is not a negative - it must be not ... any

Example:

I have not bought any bread.

I have not bought any apples.

Questions

In questions, we usually use any.

Example:

Have you bought any bread?

Have you bought any apples?

Compound Words with some & any

Some & any can also be part of compound words such as:

• something / anything
• someone / anyone
• somewhere / anywhere

Note that some & any have to be used with a noun while compound words with some & any can stand on their own.

Example:

I have bought some bread.

I have bought something.

However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the noun appears somewhere before some or any and is not repeated. So if you are not sure whether to use some or something for example, check if there is a noun in the sentence that you can place after some.

Example:

I do not have to buy bread. Rachel has already bought some [bread].

EXERCISES link:

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/some-any/exercises