Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #107496: Any and its compounds

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Any and its compounds - English lesson

1) IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FORM, 'ANY' means

ONE or MORE without being SPECIFIC or without IDENTIFYING:
Not difficult, is it? Therefore, why is it that 'any' is so often badly used?

ex : Any day will be OK for me... except for Monday!

ex : Barbara is 9 months pregnant! Her baby can be born at any moment.

*** After some verbs like prevent, ban, forbid => ANY is used to refer to an amount or a number of something, however large or little it is.

ex : He forbids any talking during his classes.
ex : She asked if you had any questions.

2) COMPOUND EXPRESSIONS, when added elements, ANY can take several different meanings:

Anywhere = in any place = PLACE

Anyone ou anybody = PERSON (

The verb is then in the singular, but the pronoun and the question tags are in the plural)

Anything= THING

Anyhow= anyway = MANNER

3) IN THE NEGATIVE FORM, NOT..... ANY= NO

ex : I'm so tired I don't have any energy at all...

ex : He hasn't got any books about this topic... Can you lend him one?
The sentence replacing 'not any' by 'no' is as correct, but more emphatic ; it insists more on the lack.

ex : He's got no books about this topic... Can you lend him one?

4) NO + noun = NONE

ex : 'Paul doesn't have any white shirts. Can you lend him one?' 'I'm sorry I have none.' = I don't have any (white shirt).

NONE is often used with 'OF + Nom /pronom' => none of you ; none of the girls ;

ex : None of us will wear a white shirt at the ceremony!

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1)Which T-shirt do you want: the tight blue one or the loose red one? Thanks, I don’t , but I fancy a shirt instead.
2) - Beef or lamb! My dog won't eat ! - Don’t worry!
3) No! I didn’t see when I entered that bar! I’ve never met him!
4) - When would you like to come? - Oh! will do!
5) Our teacher is quite strict. He forbids to whisper when someone is doing an exercise on the board.
6) -Come with me! -No! I'm not ... I want to stay here with my buddies!
7) -Where would your Mom like you to live? -She has no preference … she lets me choose I fancy.
8) She won’t go out with … She’s much too snobbish!
9) I couldn’t hear … and yet I knew they were humming …
10) I’m so disappointed! I thought I hadn’t made and I had two...
11) “ trespasser will be prosecuted!”
12) My parents didn't give me ! I had to manage by myself !
13) There aren't in this town ... What a bore!
14) Mom, can you lend me ?' 'No way! You already owe me £20! I'm not a bank and I'm not going to lose with you! Thank you!'
15) 'You must be thirsty! Do you want coke or lemon juice?' 'No thanks! I won't ! '

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