Some, any, every and no

Daisy and her new friend are at the shopping centre and they meet Oliver by chance. 

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of some, any, every and no. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, some, any, every and no correctly.

Transcript

Daisy: Shall we look for somewhere to get some coffee and some cake?

Amy: Alright. I'm not very hungry, but I'd love something to drink. Where do you fancy going?

Daisy: Anywhere you like.

Amy: Well, how about this place?

Daisy: Oooh, there's nobody else here! Where is everyone? Ah well, it's all for us! Hi!

Waiter: Hi! What can I get you?

Daisy: I'd like a cappuccino, please, and have you got any cake?

Waiter: Oh yes, we do. We've got some amazing chocolate cake, and some carrot cake – that's my personal favourite – and there's a lemon and ginger cake … and …

Daisy: No, no, I'll have some carrot cake – I haven't had any for ages, and I love it!

Waiter: A great choice. And can I get you anything?

Amy: Yes, I'd like some green tea with mango, please.

Daisy: Ooh, that sounds good!

Waiter: Anything else?

Amy: Do you have any cookies?

Waiter: I'm sorry, there are none left.

Amy: OK, nothing else then. Just the tea.

Waiter: So, one green tea with mango, one cappuccino and some carrot cake. A large piece and two forks.

Daisy: So. How's it all going? New town, new school, new people …

Amy: Well, I haven't really made any friends yet, apart from you, but I'm OK. I just need some time to adapt.

Daisy: Yeah, of course.

Amy: And the teachers all seem nice. There’s no one really boring or unfriendly.

Daisy: No. School's OK. The headmaster's new – Mr. Oliveira – I don't think anyone really knows him yet, but he seems fine.

Amy: Yeah, someone told me he’s almost 50. Can you believe it?

Daisy: No way. He looks like somebody in that film about the millionaire … ummm … Hey, look! That's my brother over there! Oliver! Ollie! Come and meet Amy!

Oliver: Hi, girls. What are you up to?

Daisy: Nothing. Just chatting and having some cake. Mm!! Have some, it's delicious!

Oliver: It looks tasty, I might get some. Hi, I'm Oliver, Daisy's brother.

Amy: Hi, I'm Amy.

Oliver: Amy. Cool. Excuse me, have you got any chocolate cake at all?

Waiter: Yes, we've got three different kinds – all home-made. There's chocolate biscuit cake, white chocolate cake and chocolate and orange cake.

Oliver: Any will do. Surprise me. And a glass of water, please. Thanks. So, Amy. Where are you from? Anywhere exotic and exciting, like the places our mother visits? Singapore? …

Amy: I'm from Cambridge. Cambridge, England.

Oliver: Ah right! Cambridge! Haha, that's somewhere Mum hasn't been! It's too near home! Thanks.

Daisy: Ignore him, he's just jealous. Our mum travels a lot.

Oliver: Huh! Me!!?? Jealous?! Who needs travel when you have cake?! So, Amy, Daisy told me you're new, right? Welcome to our town! You'll like it here. Nice people, good cake. Now tell me about yourself …

Daisy: Ollie! It's not a job interview! So, anyway there's Mr Oliveira, and – oh – and Miss Pinkerton is cool, everyone likes her, she teaches maths and she can tell you everything about … well, about anything! And then there's …

We use some and any for talking about indefinite numbers or amounts of things. We use them with nouns or on their own, as pronouns.

I know about some and any. You use some in positive sentences and any in questions and negatives, right?

Well, yes, often.

We've got some amazing chocolate cake, and some carrot cake.
Have you got any chocolate cake?
I haven't had any carrot cake for ages.

But we also use any in positive sentences.

Any cake will do. Surprise me.
She can tell you everything about ... well, about anything!

Oh, so what’s the rule?

We use some for talking about a limited number or amount; and we use any for an unlimited number or amount. For example, imagine you are talking about different kinds of cake. All these sentences are possible:

A I like any kind of cake. (= all kinds of cake, unlimited)
B I don't like any kind of cake. (= 0 kinds of cake, unlimited)
C I like some kinds of cake. (= a limited number of kinds of cake)
D I don't like some kinds of cake. (= a limited number of kinds of cake)

OK, I think that’s clear. I like any kind of music. I don’t like some dogs.

Yes, if you like all music and if you also like some dogs.

Yes, I like most dogs, but not dogs that bite, or dogs that are ill.

OK, then.

And what about questions? Can we use both some and any in questions?

Yes, we use both.

Would you like some more coffee?
Would you like any more to eat?

Here the difference is very small. The speaker is thinking of a limited amount in the first question, and an unlimited amount in the second question. In both questions we could use some or any.

Sometimes we use some when we expect the answer to be “yes”. We use any when we don’t know what the answer will be; we are asking whether something exists.

Can I have some sugar? (I know there’s some sugar)
Is there any cake left? (I don’t know whether there’s any cake)
Are you waiting for somebody? (I think you are)
Is anybody coming to meet you? (I don’t know)

Did you say we can use some and any on their own, as pronouns?

Yes, we don’t need to repeat the noun.

Is there any cake?
Yes, do you want some? / Sorry, there isn’t any. / Sorry, there’s none left.

Ah, none. That’s new to me.

Yes, we can use  none  or no + noun instead of not any. 

Have we got any onions?
No, there aren’t any. / There are none left.
We haven’t got any money. = We have no money.

What about somebody, anybody, everybody and nobody? Can you tell me more about how you use those words?

Of course. Somebody/anybody/nobody/everybody are used as singular nouns, even though everybody refers to more than one person and anybody can mean more than one person.

I saw somebody outside the window. (= 1 person)
There’s nobody there. (= 0 person)
Everybody knows that The Beatles were from Liverpool. (= all people)
Has anybody seen my keys? (= 1+ people)

Is somebody the same as someone?

Yes, it’s the same. We also use:

People: someone - anyone - no one - everyone
Things: something - anything - nothing - everything
Places: somewhere - anywhere - nowhere - everywhere

OK, I think that’s everything for today. I’ve got to go somewhere to meet somebody.

You don’t want to ask anything else?

No, thank you!

 

Discussion

What snacks do you and your friends like to have together? What do you have to drink with them?

Topics
Average: 3.5 (6 votes)
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Comments

Profile picture for user Animeci_Afton

Submitted by Animeci_Afton on Sun, 01/08/2023 - 12:01

Me and my friend likes Ramen, the Japanese food. It tastes very good. And we like drink mint lemonade and green tea with Ramen. Also fortune cookies are good to, but I always got the one that says about love. This activity helped me in the exam, thanks!

Submitted by cherry00 on Sat, 07/30/2022 - 10:40

With my friends I usually drink Coke and I eat Pizza and Ice-cream.
Profile picture for user Capixt

Submitted by Capixt on Mon, 06/27/2022 - 16:46

We love any types of chocolate, and usually they drink soda, I don´t like any tipe of soda so I prefer drink some natural juice or whater.

Submitted by Ema_tavo on Tue, 08/31/2021 - 13:24

I usually eat some biscuits or some crisps with them. We don't drink together.
Profile picture for user FlowerQueen

Submitted by FlowerQueen on Thu, 07/01/2021 - 12:31

Me and my BFF often eat ice cream. Usually we go to "Calabrese/Rocco". We drink water or ice tea.

Submitted by Arivelde on Mon, 03/22/2021 - 21:15

My friends and I usualy have sandwitch for snack and with it we like to drink some orange or passion fruit juice.
Profile picture for user Cfvdv

Submitted by Cfvdv on Mon, 03/15/2021 - 18:53

Me and my friends like to eat pancakes for snack. And we usually drink water with it.

Submitted by Didik on Thu, 03/11/2021 - 21:20

I like some chips and some cookies for snack. I like drinking soft drinks at snacks with my friends.

Submitted by Ashley_122 on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 18:27

Me and my friend like to eat crisps, chocolate, biscuits, candies and gums for snacks. They taste really good! We enjoy to eat them together.

Submitted by Luna on Fri, 08/21/2020 - 08:25

We like pizza cheese and hamburger cheese and my friend aslo likes, too we drink with coca cola
Profile picture for user Giovannichoi

Submitted by Giovannichoi on Tue, 06/09/2020 - 06:16

I love some tea and scones or bagles. I usually eat those in the morning for breakfast, but sometimes I eat cereal instead. I don't like burgers or pizzas or chickens.

Submitted by BttChiara on Tue, 05/19/2020 - 17:13

I like to eat some chips with my friends. I usually drink a tea with them, too.
Profile picture for user Sherry4869

Submitted by Sherry4869 on Sat, 05/16/2020 - 15:06

I like to have some cookies, chocolate, cake with my friends. I like to have melon soda, juice together.

Submitted by MatildePace on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 15:40

My friends and I like to eat chips and chocolate. Together we drink Coca-Cola.

Submitted by Desy on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 14:15

My friends and I like eat chips, cakes, chocolate, pizza and sushi. We drink Fanta, Tea, Coca Cola and Water.

Submitted by gattifederica on Wed, 03/25/2020 - 14:39

I and my friends like eating some pieces of chocolate cakes or bread and Nutella together. With them, we like drinking coca cola or milk.

Submitted by Ely on Wed, 03/25/2020 - 13:09

the snack i eat with my friends is pizza and coca-cola

Submitted by basenchris09 on Mon, 12/02/2019 - 10:18

i like pizza and french , i don't like juices with bubbles.

Submitted by giorgia_marchetti on Wed, 03/25/2020 - 14:32

Me and my friedns like pizza and whit it we drink coca-cola. It's our favourite snack

In reply to by basenchris09

Profile picture for user empty

Submitted by empty on Mon, 07/22/2019 - 13:09

What snacks do you and your friends like to have together? What do you have to drink with them? It depends on our moods . But I , for one , like chocolate cake . Any drinks will do !
Profile picture for user Youjiro

Submitted by Youjiro on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 12:17

I eat Chinese food at the dinner and lunch . My mum cook lunch box in every morning for me. That is Chinese food include.I like that.I also love eating snack.I eat chocolate so often .It is include nuts that makes me happy.I don't eat Italian and French food. French restaurants is very expensive for me .
Profile picture for user lifestar230

Submitted by lifestar230 on Wed, 09/05/2018 - 00:24

I Even tried everything
Profile picture for user lifestar230

Submitted by lifestar230 on Mon, 08/27/2018 - 00:13

Hello, I just love the videos of the grammar snacks, it helps me use better words, I love LearnEnglish teens

Submitted by Dreamyoverflow on Mon, 08/06/2018 - 15:08

I Usually invite some of my friends over to eat Tacos. My friends often drinks coca cola and I prefer Fanta exotic.
Profile picture for user Genius_Girl

Submitted by Genius_Girl on Fri, 06/29/2018 - 14:08

I like to eat any country foods but the best food that I love is Chinese food like sushi. My mum is also like me, not my dad. I like drinking Fanta, juice and Coca-Cola Zero tins. Sometimes on Friday, as a family, we eat two kinds of pizza or other menus.
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