SOME and ANY – determiners

SOME and ANY are determiners. We use them before a noun. They express the amount or quantity of a noun.

SOME and ANY are used differently for countable and uncountable nouns  so it is important to understand the difference.

SOME

The meaning of SOME is an unknown (or unstated) amount or quantity of something (a noun).

We use SOME in three types of sentence / structure:

1) Affirmative sentences.
2) Questions to ask for something.
3) Questions to offer  something.

Let’s look at each type in more detail.

Affirmative sentences

Countable nouns

We use SOME before a countable noun in the plural form to describe more than one unit of the countable noun.

Example situation 1: Imagine that there are 3 pears on the table. Perhaps the exact number of pears is not important. We do not need or want to state the number specifically. We therefore say: “There are some pears on the table.”

Example situation 2: Imagine that there are 34 pears in the cupboard. We do not actually know that the exact number is 34 because there are too many to count and it’s not important anyway. We can say “There are some pears in the cupboard.”

Since the countable noun is in the plural (pears), the linking verb “be” is in the plural form also (“are” – third person plural)

Uncountable nouns

SOME before an uncountable noun in an affirmative sentence describes an unknown or unspecified amount. Remember that an uncountable noun is a mass of something without clear boundaries, a gas or liquid. It cannot be counted. The uncountable noun is always in the singular form.

Examples:

There is some pasta.
There is some water.
There is some rice.

The linking verb “be” is in the singular form also (“is” – third person singular.)

Questions to ask for something

We can use SOME in questions to ask for something. We are asking to receive something or to be given something. The form is slightly different for countable and uncountable nouns as follows:

Countable nouns

The noun is always in the plural form.

Examples:

Can I have some eggs?
Can I have some apples please?
Could you give me some oranges?

Uncountable nouns

The noun is always in the singular form.

Examples:

Can I have some bread?
Could you give me some help? (Yes, “help” is uncountable in English!)
Can I have some wine?

Questions to offer something

We can use SOME in questions to offer something to someone. We are asking if the person wants something. The form is different depending on if the noun is countable or uncountable.

Countable nouns

The noun is always in the plural form.

Examples:

Do you want some grapes?
Would you like some cherries?

Uncountable nouns

The noun is always in the singular form:

Examples:

Would you like some soup?
Do you want some cake?

ANY

The meaning of ANY is an unknown (or unstated) amount or quantity of something (a noun).

We use ANY in two types of sentence / structure:

1) Questions asking about the existance of something.
2) Negative sentences.

Let’s look at each type in more detail.

Questions asking about the existance of something

Countable nouns

The noun is in the plural form.

Examples:

Do you have any books?
Are there any cars in the car park?

Notice that we say “are there” (plural) and not “is there” (singular)

Uncountable nouns

The noun is in the singular form.

Examples:

Do you have any cheese?
Is there any wine in the bottle?

Notice that we say “is there” (singular) and not “are there” (plural)

Negative sentences

We use ANY in negative sentences to mean “even the smallest amount or quantity of something.” We do not use “some” in this way.

Countable nouns

As always, the noun must go in the plural form.

Examples:
I don’t want any books.
He doesn’t have any shoes.

Uncountable nouns

The noun is always singular

Examples:
I don’t want any cheese.
She doesn’t want any advice.
They don’t have any water.

More lessons

Countable and uncountable nouns
MUCH and MANY (determiners)
Irregular nouns and their plurals
The difference between BORROW and LEND (vocabulary lesson)

Video lesson about SOME and ANY