some / any

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Hela
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some / any

Post by Hela »

Dear teachers,

Here is an exercise I have done on the subject, would you please correct it?

Complete these sentences with some and any.

1) There is seldom any world news in the “The Daily Star”.

2) Joan’s mother scarcely ever let her have any friends round.
(What is the meaning of "round" here?)

3) There can hardly be any doubt that he is the best tennis player in the world.

4) If you have any / some (?) old books that you don’t want, could you bring them into school?

5) Someof the money collected will go to helping children with heart disease.

6) Any of his paintings, even the smallest, would today sell for thousands of pounds.

Best regards,
Hela
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Post by Hela »

Dear teachers,

Here is another exercise about the same topic.

Complete these sentences with some and any + one / body / where …

1) While you are making dinner, I’ll get on with something else.

2) He didn’t want anyone to do with the arrangements for the party.

3) Diane knew she was somewhere in the park, but not exactly where.

4) He thought the bad weather was something to do with all the satellites in space.

5) Hardly anyone turned up to the meeting.

6) She was a teacher from somewhere near Frankfurt.

7) After the accident Paul didn’t go anywhere near a horse for two years.

8) I’ve borrowed John’s binoculars. If anything happens to them, he’ll be really angry.
(is “something” possible here?)


Thank you for your help.
Hela
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Alan
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Post by Alan »

1) There is seldom any world news in the “The Daily Star”.

2) Joan’s mother scarcely ever let her have any friends round.
(What is the meaning of "round" here?)

3) There can hardly be any doubt that he is the best tennis player in the world.

4) If you have any / some (?) old books that you don’t want, could you bring them into school?

5) Someof the money collected will go to helping children with heart disease.

6) Any of his paintings, even the smallest, would today sell for thousands of pounds.

***********************
All OK.
#4 = any.
'Round' here means 'to her house'.
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Post by Alan »

1) While you are making dinner, I’ll get on with something else.

2) He didn’t want anyone to do the arrangements for the party.

3) Diane knew she was somewhere in the park, but not exactly where.

4) He thought the bad weather was something to do with all the satellites in space.

5) Hardly anyone turned up to the meeting.

6) She was a teacher from somewhere near Frankfurt.

7) After the accident Paul didn’t go anywhere near a horse for two years.

I’ve borrowed John’s binoculars. If anything happens to them, he’ll be really angry.
(is “something” possible here?)

********************************
OK.
Yes, informally 'something' is possible in #8.
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Post by Hela »

Dear Alan,

Thank you very much for your answers. Here is another question:

A/ The rule says that when we have a negative or an interrogative form we should use "any" but what about the following sentences?

1) You'll like this new ice-cream. Shall I save some for you?
2) Can you get some milk when you're out shopping?

I think that these sentences are correct, but do we use "some" here because somebody is making an offer or a suggestion? What should be the explanation?

B/ As for sentence #2 in my first exercise:

"He didn't want ............... to do with the arrangements for the party."

Do you think that "with" should be omitted (a misprint?) or is part of the phrasal verb "to do with" (meaning?)?
Is it possible to use "anything"?

Thanks a lot.
Hela
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Alan
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Post by Alan »

Thank you very much for your answers. Here is another question:

A/ The rule says that when we have a negative or an interrogative form we should use "any" but what about the following sentences?

1) You'll like this new ice-cream. Shall I save some for you?
2) Can you get some milk when you're out shopping?

I think that these sentences are correct, but do we use "some" here because somebody is making an offer or a suggestion? What should be the explanation?
****************************************************
Yes, in interrogatives constituting offers or requests 'some' normally supplants 'any'.
****************************************************
B/ As for sentence #2 in my first exercise:

"He didn't want ............... to do with the arrangements for the party."

Do you think that "with" should be omitted (a misprint?) or is part of the phrasal verb "to do with" (meaning?)?
Is it possible to use "anything"?

***************************************

If 'with' is not a misprint, then 'anything' would be the best answer. 'Have smth. to do with' means 'be involved in'.
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