Someone or Anyone?
Someone, something and somewhere are for a person, a thing or a place when you don't know or don't say which one.
POSITIVE → SOME-
Someone is knocking at the door.
You don't know who.
NEGATIVE → ANY-
I didn't buy anything at the market.
QUESTION → ANY-
Did anyone call me?
You don't know the answer yet.
Positive → some-. Negatives and questions → any-.
Anyone can learn English. Here anyone means "any person at all".
TRY IT
- Question 1
"There's blank in the garden. Who is it?"
How the words are built
TWO PARTS
- positivesome-
- negative, questionany-
- not oneno-
| Word ends in | What to do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -one / -body | a person | someone · anyone · no one / nobody |
| -thing | a thing | something · anything · nothing |
| -where | a place | somewhere · anywhere · nowhere |
-one = -body: someone = somebody. No one is two words.
SOME-
SVsomeone / something
I found something in my pocket.
You don't know who or what.
ANY-
Sdon't / didn'tVanyone / anything
We didn't see anybody.
After not, use any-.
QUESTION
Do / Did / IsS…anyone / anything?
Did you buy anything?
When you don't know the answer.
NO-
nobody / nothingpositive V
Nothing happened.
No- is already negative. Don't add not.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"She didn't say blank about the test."
When to use them
Offers
Would you like something to eat?
A question, but you hope the answer is yes: some-.
Common phrases: something to eat · something to drink
Asking for help
Can you help me with something?
You know you need help with a thing.
Common phrases: Can I ask you something? · Can someone help me?
Places
Let's go somewhere quiet.
No to before somewhere, anywhere or nowhere.
Short answers
What's in the bag? — Nothing.
Nobody, nothing and nowhere can be a whole answer.
Not Anything or Nothing?
| 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. | Nobody came. |
Same meaning. In everyday speech not … any- sounds more natural. No- sounds stronger.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"blank for dinner. Let's order pizza."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I don't know nothing about it.
Correct:I don't know anything about it.
One negative word is enough. Don't is already there.
Incorrect:I saw anyone outside your house.
Correct:I saw someone outside your house.
A person you don't know, in a positive sentence: someone.
Incorrect:Anyone doesn't live in that old house.
Correct:Nobody lives in that old house.
To start with not one person, say nobody and a positive verb.
Incorrect:Everyone are happy with the new teacher.
Correct:Everyone is happy with the new teacher.
Everyone, someone and nobody use 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.
Incorrect:We didn't go to anywhere last weekend.
Correct:We didn't go anywhere last weekend.
No to before anywhere.
Quick check · 5 questions
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
You don't know the answer, so the word is anyone.
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
You hope the guest says yes. Someone is a person, not food.
Choose the correct phrase:
My grandmother made something special for dinner.
- A. something special — Correct
- B. special something
Answer: A. something special
With a noun it comes first: a special dinner. With something, it comes 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 the verb is singular: gets.
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. A positive sentence uses some-.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 12 questions
