What Someone, Anyone, Something and Anything Are
An indefinite pronoun is a word for a person, a thing or a place when you don't know or don't say which one: someone, something, somewhere.
POSITIVE → SOME-a person, not named
Someone is knocking at the door.
There is a person at the door; you don't know who.
NEGATIVE → ANY-not one thing
I didn't buy anything at the market.
Didn't makes the sentence negative, so the word is anything.
QUESTION → ANY-a real question
Did anyone call me?
You don't know the answer yet, so the word is anyone.
Positive sentences usually take some-; negatives and questions usually take any-. It is the same rule as some and any before a noun.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"There's in the garden. Who is it?"
- Question 2
"She didn't say about the test."
How the words are built
TWO PARTS
- personsomeone
- thingsomething
- placesomewhere
swap some- for any- or no-: anyone, anything, anywhere · nobody, nothing, nowhere · -one and -body mean the same: someone = somebody · no one is two words
SOME-
SVsomeone / something
I found something in my pocket.
Positive: there is a person or a thing, but you don't know who or what.
ANY-
Sdon't / didn'tVanyone / anything
We didn't see anybody.
Negative: once not is there, use any-.
QUESTION
Do / Did / IsS…anyone / anything?
Did you buy anything?
A real question, when you don't know the answer.
NO-
nobody / nothingpositive V
Nothing happened.
No- is already negative, so the verb stays positive.
+ ADJECTIVE
something / anything / nothingadjective
something sweet · nothing new
The adjective comes after. With an ordinary noun it comes before: a sweet cake.
As the subject, these words take a singular verb. So do everyone and everything: Everyone likes her.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Let's eat tonight."
- Question 2
"Everyone ready. Let's go!"
- Question 3
"I'm bored. happens in this town."
When to use them
Offers
Would you like something to eat?
An offer takes some-, even as a question, because you hope the answer is yes.
Signal words: something to eat · something to drink
Asking for help
Can you help me with something?
You know you need help with a thing, so the question still takes some-.
Signal words: Can I ask you something? · Can someone help me?
Places
Let's go somewhere quiet.
After go, we usually don't put to before somewhere, anywhere or nowhere.
Signal words: somewhere · anywhere · nowhere
Short answers
What's in the bag? — Nothing.
Nobody, nothing and nowhere can stand alone as a whole answer.
Signal words: Nobody. · Nothing. · Nowhere.
Not … anything vs. nothing
English has two ways to say not one person or not one thing. The meaning is the same. Only the place of the negative word changes.
| NOT + ANY- | NO- | |
|---|---|---|
| People | I didn't meet anyone. | I met nobody. |
| Things | She doesn't want anything. | She wants nothing. |
| At the start | not possible — any- cannot open a negative sentence | Nobody came. |
In everyday speech not … any- sounds more natural. No- sounds stronger, and it is the only choice at the start of a sentence.
TRY IT
- Question 1
" came to the meeting. The room was empty."
- Question 2
" for dinner. Let's order pizza."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I don't know nothing about it.
Correct:I don't know anything about it.
English uses only one negative word with each verb. Don't is already there, so the word is anything.
Incorrect:I saw anyone outside your house.
Correct:I saw someone outside your house.
For a person you don't know, a positive sentence takes some-. Any- with this meaning is for negatives and questions.
Incorrect:Anyone doesn't live in that old house.
Correct:Nobody lives in that old house.
To start a sentence with not one person, use nobody and a positive verb. Any- cannot start a negative sentence.
Incorrect:Everyone are happy with the new teacher.
Correct:Everyone is happy with the new teacher.
Everyone means a whole group, but it takes a singular verb.
Incorrect:Is there interesting anything in the newspaper?
Correct:Is there anything interesting in the newspaper?
The adjective goes after anything, something and nothing. It does not go in front, as it does with an ordinary noun.
Incorrect:We didn't go to anywhere last weekend.
Correct:We didn't go anywhere last weekend.
Anywhere already means to any place, so we don't put to in front.
Quick check · 8 questions
Choose the right word:
I think someone took my umbrella.
- A. someone — Correct
- B. anyone
Answer: A. someone
A person took your umbrella, but you don't know who. A positive sentence like this takes someone.
Choose the right word:
Tuấn didn't eat anything at the party.
- A. anything — Correct
- B. something
Answer: A. anything
Didn't makes the sentence negative, so the word that follows is anything.
You don't know the answer. Choose the right word:
Does anyone in your class speak Japanese?
- A. anyone — Correct
- B. someone
Answer: A. anyone
It is a real question, and you don't know the answer, so it uses anyone.
You want to say that not one person knows the answer. Choose the correct sentence:
Nobody knows the answer to this question.
- A. Nobody knows — Correct
- B. Nobody doesn't know
- C. Anybody doesn't know
Answer: A. Nobody knows
Nobody is already negative, so the verb stays positive. Anybody cannot start a negative sentence.
Choose the correct phrase:
My grandmother made something special for dinner.
- A. something special — Correct
- B. special something
Answer: A. something special
With an ordinary noun the adjective goes first: a special dinner. With something, anything and nothing it goes after.
Choose the right verb:
Everybody in my family gets up early.
- A. gets — Correct
- B. get
Answer: A. gets
Everybody means the whole family, but it takes a singular verb, so gets has -s.
A guest has just arrived at your home. Choose the right word:
Are you hungry? Can I make you something?
- A. something — Correct
- B. someone
- C. nothing
Answer: A. something
It is a question, but it is an offer: you hope the guest says yes, so it is something. Someone is a person, not food.
Choose the correct phrase:
I lost my wallet somewhere in the park.
- A. somewhere — Correct
- B. to somewhere
- C. anywhere
Answer: A. somewhere
Somewhere already means in some place, so we don't add to. A positive sentence takes some-, not any-.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 12 questions
