Some and any

Rule

Examples

Exception

Use some in positive sentences.

We've got some apples.

Use any in negative sentences and ques­tions.

I don't eat any vegetables. Do you have any sweets at home?

Use some in polite offers and requests and in questions when you strongly expect a positive answer.

Would you like some more meat? (offer) Could I have some brown rice with my meal, please? (request)

Something, anything and similar forms

Rule

Forms

Examples

The rules for something, anything and similar forms are the same as for some and any (see above).

something, somebody, somewhere, anything, anybody, anywhere

Let's go somewhere where we can have lunch. I don't want to go anywhere too far.

Nothing, nobody and nowhere

Rule Use combinations with no to stress a negative idea.

Forms nothing, nobody, nowhere

Examples Nothing is going on here. There is nowhere to ride our bicycles in London.

Imperatives

Rule

Examples

I Base form of verb I· I Do not I + I base form of verb I· Use positive imperatives to tell people Use negative imperatives to tell people what to do. what not to do.

Cut the tomato into litt le cubes. Look before crossing the road.

Do not smoke. Don't drink and drive.

Countable and uncountable nouns

Rule

Examples

Exceptions

Use countable nouns for things which Use uncountab le nouns for things which can be counted. We can use numbers with them and the articles a and an.

Countable nouns have plurals.

a carrot, an apple, seven eggs, ten bananas

we see as a mass and not as a separate object. We cannot use numbers with them. They have no plurals.

water, meat, salt, cheese

If we want to count uncountable nouns we have to count the container or the measurement, not the thing.

two gla sses of water (Glasses are counted, not water) ten grams of sugar (Grams are counted, not sugar)

How many and how much

Rule

Examples

Use how many with countable nouns.

How many apples do you need for the cake?

Use how much with uncountable nouns.

How much butter do you need for the cake?

Quantifiers and indefinite pronouns

everyone, everybody, all 100%

most +/- 90%

Rule many/much, a lot of +I - 75%

some, a few +I - 25%

no one, nobody 0%

Examples Nobody can survive without food. A few people from our class have been to America.