This is the first in a series of videos and blog posts about common quantifiers – those words that describe an amount of something.

Can I have any milk with my tea? ✘
Can I have some milk with my tea? ✓

If you have ever made this mistake, then read on – you might need help with using quantifiers! Today we start with some and any. We always use some and any before a noun or noun phrase.

Some

Use some when talking about an unspecified number or amount of something in positive sentences.

Use some with countable and uncountable nouns.

Examples:
– I want some chocolate, now.
– He needs some help with his homework.
– I taught my dog some good tricks.

Some is also used for offers or requests in question form.

Examples:
Offers
– Would you like some milk with your coffee?
– Do you want to get some food after the movie?

Requests
– Can I have some more chocolate please?
– Could we have some help? – Can you bring some salt for the table?

Any

Any is used in negative sentences to show that nothing is required, or nothing is available.

Examples:
– I don’t want any chocolate.
– He doesn’t want any sugar in his tea.
– We don’t have any pasta left.

Use any in questions to find out if a thing is available.

Examples:
– Do we have any rice?
– Are there any pet owners here?
– Do you have any new ideas?

Any is also used in response to a question when there is no specific thing required or it’s not important which one. 

Examples:
Q: What would you like to eat?
A:  I’ll have any chocolate bar – I don’t mind which one.

Q:  Which drink would you like?
A:  Any soft drink is fine.

Use negative words such as without, hardly, rarely, never with any.

Examples:
– She is having a burger without any mayonnaise.
– He hardly eats any breakfast.
– I rarely do any exercise.
– We never see any people in the park. 

You might have noticed that they can be separated by a verb.

Any can be used after ‘if’ and in expressions of doubt.

Examples:
– If you give me any trouble, I will call the police!
– I don’t think there is any juice in the fridge.
– I’m not sure that he has any money on him.

You can also use any in a question to clear up doubt.

Example:
– Are you sure you don’t want any breakfast?

Be sure to look out for my next video and blog post which is the second in this series – Many, Much and A lot of.