Exercises

84.1 Complete the sentences with some or any.

1. We didn't buy _any_ flowers.

2. This evening I'm going out with --- friends of mine.

3. 'Have you seen --- good films recently? ' 'No, I haven't been to the cinema for ages.'

4. I didn't have --- money, so I had to borrow ---.

5. Can I have --- milk in my coffee, please?

6. I was too tired to do --- work.

7. You can cash these traveller's cheques at --- bank.

8. Can you give me --- information about places of interest in the town?

9. With the special tourist train ticket, you can travel on --- train you like.

10. If there are --- words you don't understand, use a dictionary.

84.2 Complete the sentences with some- or any- + -body/-thing/-where.

1. I was too surprised to say _anything._

2. There's --- at the door. Can you go and see who it is?

3. Does --- mind if I open the window?

4. I wasn't feeling hungry, so I didn't eat ---.

5. You must be hungry. Would you like --- to eat?

6. Quick, let's go! There's --- coming and I don't want --- to see us.

7. Sally was upset about --- and refused to talk to ---.

8. This machine is very easy to use --- can learn to use it in a very short time.

9. There was hardly --- on the beach. It was almost deserted.

10. 'Do you live --- near Jim? ' 'No, he lives in another part of town.'

11. We slept in a park because we didn't have --- to stay.

12. 'Where shall we go on holiday? ' 'Let's go --- warm and sunny.'

13. They stay at home all the time. They never seem to go ---.

14. I'm going out now. If --- phones while I'm out, can you tell them I'll be back at 11.30?

15. Why are you looking under the bed? Have you lost ---?

16. --- who saw the accident should contact the police.

17. Sue is very secretive. She never tells --- (2 words)

84.3 Complete the sentences. Use any (+ noun) or anybody/anything/anywhere.

1. Which bus do I have to catch? Any bus. They all go to the centre.

2. Which day shall I come? I don't mind. ---.

3. What do you want to eat? ---. I don't mind. Whatever you have.

4. Where shall I sit? It's up to you. You can sit ---you like.

5. What sort of job are you looking for? ---. It doesn't matter.

6. What time shall I phone tomorrow? ---. I'll be in all day.

7. Who shall I invite to the party? I don't mind. --- you like.

8. Which newspaper shall I buy? ---. Whatever they have in the shop.

UNIT 85. No/none/any

A. No none nothing nobody/no one nowhere

You can use these negative words at the beginning of a sentence or alone:

* No cars are allowed in the city centre.

* None of this money is mine.

* 'What did you say? ' 'Nothing.'

* Nobody (or No one) came to visit me while I was in hospital.

* 'Where are you going? ' 'Nowhere. I'm staying here.'

You can also use these words after a verb, especially after be and have:

* The house is empty. There's nobody living there.

* She had no difficulty finding a job.

No/nothing/nobody etc. = not + any/anything/anybody etc.:

* We haven't got any money. (= We've got no money.)

* I didn't say anything. (= I said nothing.)

* She didn't tell anybody about her plans. (= She told nobody...)

* The station isn't anywhere near here. (=... is nowhere near here)

When you use no/nothing/nobody etc., do not use a negative verb (isn't, didn't, can't etc.):

* I said nothing. (not 'I didn't say nothing')

* Nobody tells me anything. (not 'Nobody doesn't tell...')

B. We also use any/anything/anybody etc. (without 'not') to mean 'it doesn't matter which/ hat/who' (see Unit 84D). Compare no- and any-:

* 'What do you want to eat? ' 'Nothing. I'm not hungry.'

I'm so hungry. I could eat anything. (= it doesn't matter what)

* The exam was extremely difficult. Nobody passed. (= everybody failed)

The exam was very easy. Anybody could have passed. (= it doesn't matter who)

C. No and none

We use no + a noun. No = not a or not any:

* We had to walk home because there was no bus. (= there wasn't a bus)

* I can't talk to you now. I've got no time. (= I haven't got any time)

* There were no shops open. (= there weren't any shops open)

We use none alone (without a noun):

* 'How much money have you got? ' 'None.' (= no money)

* All the tickets have been sold. There are none left. (= no tickets left)

Or we use none of...:

none of these shops none of my money none of it/them/us/you

After none of + a plural word ('none of the shops', 'none of them' etc.) you can use a singular or a plural verb. A plural verb is more usual:

* None of the shops were (or was) open.

D. After nobody/no one you can use they/them/their:

* Nobody phoned, did they? (= did he or she)

* The party was a disaster. Nobody enjoyed themselves. (= himself or herself)

* No one in the class did their homework. (= his or her homework)