Some and Any

Hook

“Is there any milk?” “Yes, there’s some in the fridge, but there isn’t any bread.” When you talk about quantities without an exact number, you need two small words: some and any.

Notice

  • There are some chairs in the kitchen.
  • There aren’t any chairs in the garden.
  • Are there any chairs in the hall?
  • There is some water in the bottle.
  • Is there any water? — No, there isn’t any.
  • Would you like some tea? Can I have some water, please?

Which word is in positive sentences? Which is in negatives and questions?

Rule

Plural countable (chairs)Uncountable (water)
PositiveThere are some chairs.There is some water.
NegativeThere aren’t any chairs.There isn’t any water.
QuestionAre there any chairs?Is there any water?
  • With a singular countable noun use a/an: There’s a chair. (not some chair)
  • Offers and requests use some in questions: Would you like some coffee? Can I have some bread?
  • Uncountable nouns: water, milk, bread, rice, money, furniture, music, information.

Watch Out

  • ✗ There isn’t some milk. → ✓ There isn’t any milk.
  • ✗ Is there some sugar? (a normal question) → ✓ Is there any sugar?
  • ✗ There are some chair. → ✓ There are some chairs. (plural noun)
  • ✗ I have some book. → ✓ I have a book. / I have some books.

Practice

  1. There are ___ books on the shelf.
  2. There isn’t ___ milk in the fridge.
  3. Is there ___ sugar?
  4. I have ___ friends in this city.
  5. Would you like ___ tea? (offer)
  6. There’s ___ lamp next to the bed.
  7. Correct it: “There aren’t some eggs.”
  8. Countable or uncountable: rice?
Show the answers
  1. some
  2. any
  3. any
  4. some
  5. some
  6. a
  7. There aren’t any eggs.
  8. uncountable

Your Turn

Open your fridge or a kitchen cupboard (or imagine one). Write five sentences with some, any and a/an: There is some cheese. There isn’t any juice…

Connect

Our Grammar Quiz has A1 questions on some, any and a/an.

Try our Grammar Quiz →

Fix mistakes like “There isn’t some milk” in our Error Correction tool.

Try Error Correction →

CEFR A1 — Spoken Interaction: I can ask and answer simple questions about things I have and need.

Azizul Hakim
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