ANY

Used in a negative sentence and no- used in a positive sentence mean the same thing. There are just two different ways to express it.

Examples:

- There wasn’t anybody at the office.

- There was nobody at the office.

✅ Use 1: negative sentences (used with not, never, etc.)

E.g. The police could not find her anywhere

 I didn’t see anyone I knew while I was out.

✅ Use 2: questions:

E.g. Is there anything to eat?

Is there anywhere special you would like to go for your birthday?

✅ Use 3: positive sentences with the meaning of every when the intention is to give emphasis:

E.g. He was prepared to try anything to find his daughter. She wants to study abroad anywhere in Europe.

Some- and any- compound words are often the easiest to confuse. It can be difficult to recognize when to use some- and when to use any-. Occasionally these two types of indefinite pronouns can be interchangeable, but most of the time we can only use one or the other.

Someone = one specific person, even if we don’t know or use his or her name.

Anyone (in positive sentences) = one person, any person, it doesn’t matter who this person is or what he or she is like.

I think there is someone at the door.

It’s not that tough of a project. Anyone could do it.

These same principles of how to use some- and any- compound words can also be applied to -body, -thing, or -where endings.

Let’s practice!

Write sentences using compound words with ‘any’ in the comments section.

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