Some and Any

Question 1

SOME:
It is used before plural and uncountable nouns, or zero article.
Don’t use SOME for general statements.
Use SOME before a number to mean approximately.

Use SOME to mean that the person is not important. In the same way, with the expression SOME…OR OTHER.

Answer 1

I was visiting (some) friends.
Before serving, pour (some) yogurt over the top.
Machinery can be dangerous.
Babies need a lot of attention.
Some eight percent of the population took part in the vote.
He was interrupted twice by some troublemaker in the audience.
I bought them from some shop or other in New Street.

Question 2

ANY:
We use ANY (anything, anyone…) and not SOME (something, someone…) in:
- non-affirmative contexts, with the words barely, never, rarely, scarcely, seldom, deny, fail, forbid, prohibit, refuse, reluctant, unable, unlikely.

• unspecified things.

We use ANY before the word BEFORE and comparisons.

Answer 2

There is hardly any sugar left.
I close the window to prevent any flies getting in.
It was impossible to see anything in the dark.
We got to the airport without any difficulty.

I cleared up the mess before anyone saw it.
The material felt softer than anything else she had ever touched before.