The word any singular or plural

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Summary

Any may be used as a singular or a plural pronoun, depending on whether it refers to “at least one” or “one or more.” You may use either a singular verb like is or a plural verb like are with any (although use of the plural is more common).

Examples

  • Plural: Are any of the students working on the project?

    one or more of them

  • Singular: Is any of them awake?

    at least one

When any refers to a singular uncountable noun, it is always singular.

Example

  • Is/are any of the information available yet?

As a determiner, any is generally followed by uncountable and plural countable nouns in questions and negative statements.

Examples

  • Is there any water left in the bottle?
  • Does she have any enemies?
  • I don’t have any water.
  • She doesn’t have any enemies.

With singular countable nouns, use a/an rather than any.

Examples

  • Have you ever eaten any/an apple?
  • I have never eaten any/an apple.

But note that any may be used with a singular countable noun to lend emphasis or to mean “it does not matter which.”

Examples

  • Do you have any idea what you have done?
  • Any car will do.

When to use any

The word any can be used as a pronoun or a determiner. (A pronoun functions as a noun phrase, while a determiner appears before a noun and clarifies its reference.)

Examples

  • Pronoun: Have you read any of her books?

    functions as a noun phrase: whichever books are being referred to

  • Determiner: Have you read any books written by her?

    reference to a number or quantity

The pronoun any refers to one or more of a group. Use it to speak of at least one or more than one of a set of persons or things.

Examples

  • “Can I have some oranges?” “Sorry, there aren’t any.”
  • Is any of these options still available?
  • Are any of you planning to work today?

Any can also refer to quantity.

Examples

  • “Could I have some milk?” “There isn’t any.”
  • Is any of this useful to you?
  • Is any of the soda we bought yesterday still in the car?

Any is often followed by the preposition of.

Examples

  • Do any of these come in blue?
  • Is any of this data useful to you?
  • Are any of these for sale?

Any is also used as a determiner before a noun, generally in questions and negative statements.

Examples

  • Are there any marbles left in the bag?
  • Do you have any money I can borrow?
  • I don’t have any marbles.
  • I don’t have any money.

In this article, we discuss whether the pronoun any should be used with singular or plural verbs: is any or are any of them ready? We also discuss whether any as a determiner can be followed by singular or plural nouns: any query or any queries?

Is any singular or plural?

Any may be either a singular or a plural pronoun, depending on whether it means “at least one” or “one or more.” To refer at least one of a group, use a singular verb like is. To refer to more than one of a group, use a plural verb like are.

Examples

  • Are any of you coming to the party?

    one or more of you

  • Is any of you going to help me?

    at least one of you

Tip

Any is used as a pronoun in questions, negative statements, and conditionals.

Examples

  • Question: Are any of them here?
  • Negative statement: Sorry, I don’t have any.
  • Conditional: I need some more marbles. Let me know if you find any.
  • Conditional: If any of you have a spare laptop, let me know.

Reference to countable nouns

When any is used as a pronoun in questions to refer to countable nouns, it can be used with either singular or plural verbs: is any or are any. When you use a plural verb (like are any), you are asking about “one or more” of a number. When you use a singular verb (like is any), you are asking about “at least one” of a number.

Example

  • Are any of your rooms available?

    referring to one or more

    Is any of your rooms available?

    referring to at least one, but there may be more

Here are some more examples.

Examples

  • Is/are any of them ready?
  • Is/are any of the books on sale?
  • Is/are any of my answers correct?
  • Is/are any of the students absent today?
  • Does/do any of you know the answer?
  • Has/have any of them called yet?

Note

Any and some have similar meanings but slightly different use cases. The pronoun any instead of some is used in negative statements.

Example

  • “Do you have some marbles?” “Sorry, I don’t have some/any.”

When any is used instead of some in questions, it is more open-ended.

Example

  • Would like to try some of these muffins?

    Expecting a positive answer.

    Are any of these vegan?

    Open-ended: May or may not be vegan.

Any of a number can also be used in conditional statements, either as singular or plural (although plural use is more common).

Examples

  • If any of the students needs/need my help, let me know.
  • If any of the balloons bursts/burst, replace it/them immediately.
  • Unless any of them reports/report the crime, we can’t take action.

In negative statements, the pronoun any is used to refer to a plural number rather than a singular countable noun.

Examples

  • Plural: “Can I borrow a couple of pens from you?” “Sorry, I don’t have any.”

    to refer to a plural number

  • Singular: “Can I borrow a pen?” “Sorry, I don’t have any/one.”

Reference to uncountable nouns

With singular uncountable nouns (also called mass nouns), any is singular. This is because uncountable nouns (like water, furniture, jewelry) are thought of in terms of quantity rather than a countable number.

Examples

  • Has/have any of the water been filtered?

    any amount of

  • Is/are any of your jewelry insured?
  • Is/are any of this information useful to you?
  • Does/do any of this rust?

Here are some more examples of any being considered singular when it refers to singular uncountable nouns.

Examples

  • “Is there some water in the bottle?” “There isn’t any.”
  • “We’ve ordered too much pizza.” “Well, if there is any left, we can have it for breakfast.”

  • “I need milk. Is there any in the fridge?”

When any refers to plural uncountable nouns, it is always plural. (Plural uncountable nouns are always used in the plural form, never in the singular.)

Examples

  • Are any of the scissors sharpened?
  • Why aren’t any of your trousers ever ironed?
  • Are any of the sunglasses on sale?

Is any used with singular or plural nouns?

In questions and negative statements, any generally appears as a determiner with a plural countable noun or an uncountable noun. It can also appear before a singular countable noun to lend emphasis to a sentence.

Examples

  • Do you have any books I can borrow?
  • Is any oil needed in this recipe?
  • This house doesn’t have any furniture in it.
  • The Pole Star can be seen at any hour of the night at any time of the year from any place in the Northern Hemisphere.

With uncountable and plural countable nouns

Any is used with uncountable or plural countable nouns in questions. (Countable nouns refer to things that can be counted, while uncountable or mass nouns refer to a quantity.)

Examples

  • Is there any water left in the bottle?
  • Is he wearing any trousers?
  • Are there any books in the bag?
  • Do you have any questions for me?

When any is used with singular uncountable nouns, the verb used is singular.

Examples

  • Is/Are there any water left in the bottle?
  • Is/Are there any milk in the fridge?
  • Is/Are there any money in the purse?

Any is also used with uncountable and plural countable nouns in negative statements.

Examples

  • There isn’t any milk left in the bottle.
  • Sorry, I don’t have any water to spare.
  • Farley doesn’t have any money.
  • There aren’t any scissors in the salon.
  • There aren’t any books in the bag.
  • They don’t seem to have any questions for us at the moment.

In conditionals as well, any is used with uncountable and plural countable nouns.

Examples

  • If you need any help with the project, let me know.
  • If you meet any monsters, use the magic ring.
  • Let me know if you have any questions.

With singular countable nouns

Any is not generally used with singular countable nouns. Instead, we use the indefinite article a/an.

Examples

  • Do you have any/a pen in your bag?
  • Can I get any/an answer today?
  • We are at the lake, but there isn’t any/a boat in sight.

Note that it is not grammatically wrong to use any before a singular countable noun. Such a construction can lend emphasis to a conditional or a question.

Examples

  • If you have any problem at all, let me know.
  • I can help you with any query you may have.
  • Do you have any idea why this may have happened?
  • Is there any way that I can help you?
  • Is there any cure at all, Doctor?

Any followed by a singular countable noun can also indicate that you are referring to an example of a class of things, and that it does not matter which particular thing it is.

Examples

  • “Which car would you like?” “Oh, any car will do. I’m not particular.”
  • I need a book to read on the flight. Any book will do.
  • This is a book any child would love.
  • This game can be gifted to a child of any age.
  • I like sci-fi, but we can watch any movie you like.

Some and no in place of any

Not any may be replaced by no in negative statements. Note that no is more emphatic than not any and can sound more formal.

Examples

  • I haven’t any plans.

    or

    I have no plans.

  • I don’t have any money.

    or

    I have no money.

In questions, some can convey that the speaker expects a positive response, while any is more neutral.

Examples

  • Would you like some more orange juice?

    Expectation that the person would like to have more orange juice.

  • Would you like any more tea or coffee?

    More open-ended: the person may or may not want a beverage.

In negative questions, any instead of some is used, expecting a negative response.

Examples

  • Don’t you have any money?

    Expectation that the person has no money.

  • Do you have some money I could borrow?

    Expecting a positive answer.

Finally, some instead of any is generally used in affirmative statements. Any is used in negative statements.

Examples

  • Affirmative: There is some water left in this bottle.
    Negative: There isn’t any water left in this bottle.
  • Affirmative: There are some books still in the bag.
    Negative: There aren’t any books in the bag.

Anyone, anybody, anything: Singular or plural?

The pronouns anyone, anybody, and anything refer to one person or thing and are always singular.

Examples

  • Is/are anybody home?
  • Why doesn’t/don’t anyone ever listen to me?
  • Is/are there anything I can help you with?

Sometimes, we use any one in place of any to emphasize an example of a class, regardless of which one in particular.

Examples

  • Is any one of you ready?
  • Any one of these will do.

Examples from literature

Here are some examples of the pronoun any used with singular and plural verbs.

Examples

  • Half the trouble in life is caused by pretending there isn’t any.
  • The best of a bad job is all any of us make of it—except of course, the saints.

    — T.S. Eliot, The Cocktail Party, a Comedy (1949)

  • ‘Mankind has lost its own say in its future.’ ‘It never had any, really.’
  • How real is any of the past, being every moment revalued to make the present possible.
  • What is any of this to us?
  • After all, what are any of us after but the conviction of belonging?

And here are some examples of any used as a determiner in writing. Note how it is used before a plural noun in negative statements, but before a singular noun in affirmative statements.

Examples

  • There aren’t any answers to be found. There are no good choices.
  • I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12.
  • Any planet is ‘Earth’ to those that live on it.

    — Isaac Asimov, Pebble in the Sky (1950)

  • Any fool can tell a crisis when it arrives.

    — Isaac Asimov, Foundation (1942)

Источник

Very often, the English language can be confusing. Is the word “any” singular, or is it plural? Does it simply take the form of the word that it’s attached to? And can you use the word “any” in any given situation? This article will answer these questions.

Thinking of “any” as a strictly singular or plural word is mistaken in the first place. “Any” is a word that should be used for uncountable nouns, for plurals, and for questions or negatives. As such, the situations in which you can use “any” are really varied.

is any singular or plural

The truth is that “any” can be used with plural nouns pretty much all of the time, but it can only be used with singular nouns under specific circumstances, such as a question.

“Any” + Singular

You only use “any” with a singular noun when it’s either an uncountable noun, or when it’s used inside a question or in a negative sentence. These are very specific circumstances, and might be somewhat hard to remember, but they’re very useful to keep in mind.

It’s fine to use “any” with a singular noun as long as it fits the described circumstances and, to put it in a broad way, sounds good to the ear.

To explain the “negative sentence” part, you wouldn’t say “I have any idea”, but you would in fact say “I don’t have any idea”. The singular “any” only makes sense in this context

Here are a few example sentences that will show the way in which you can use “any” with a singular noun:

  1. Do you have any idea of what might have happened the other day?
  2. I don’t have any water left but I can offer you some soda instead.
  3. Is there any chance of me getting accepted in spite of all these circumstances?
  4. I don’t think there’s any music that you would like in this specific collection.
  5. Have you had any luck setting up the sound system correctly?
  6. I don’t know that there’s any difference between either of the final choices for the program.
  7. Have you got any idea of what we could do to solve this?

“Any” + Plural

Using “any” with a plural noun is not that different when compared to using “any” with a singular noun. You simply add it before any given plural noun, and you use it in sentences that have questions or are negative.

When it comes down to it, the rules for using “any” with a singular or plural noun are very similar.

WIth plural nouns, the major difference would simply be that uncountable nouns are not as major of a presence as they are for when “any” is modifying a singular noun.

Here are some example sentences that will showcase the ways in which “any” can modify plural nouns:

  1. He doesn’t have any books that deal with this specific subject matter.
  2. I haven’t got any ideas for the meeting this friday, and I’m worried about it.
  3. Are there any novels you think I would like from this particular bookstore?
  4. Do you have any movies from the festival that was held last year in this venue?
  5. Are there any concepts from the productivity meeting that you think we need to work on?
  6. I don’t have any essays or papers from last year that are about economics.
  7. There aren’t any tiles or drawings that we can use as a showcase for the investors.

Is “Any” Mostly Used as Singular or Plural?

The information supplied by the Google Ngram Viewer on the use of “any are” as compared to “any is” is fascinating. Since the year 1800, “any are” has consistently been more popular than “any is”, but this gap has lessened over the years.

any is or any are

Though at the start of the 1800s the gap between “any are” and “any is” was immense, by the start of the 1900s this wasn’t the case anymore.

In the 1900s “any are” was still very much the most common option, but “any is” was always trailing just slightly behind, with what was really a very minor difference overall.

In fact, there was a specific point in the year 1962 in which “any is” nearly overtook “any are” in use, though of course this did not end up happening ultimately.

Is Any or Are Any?

This particular phrasing is used mostly in questions, and the correct answer is normally going to be “are any”. When “any” is used in this particular way, following a verb, then “is any” is generally considered to be incorrect in most cases, and “are any” is utilized instead.

While “is any” can technically be correct in specific contexts that are not questions, when it comes to asking questions it’s seen as awkward and incorrect.

Here are a couple of examples to understand how you can correctly use either option:

  • The new project is any of the following options: Large, bold, aggressive, and brave.
  • Are any of the new course options doable for someone in my major?

You may also like:
“Is There Any News” or “Are There Any News”? (Correct Version)
Are There Any vs. Is There Any – Easy Usage Guide (+14 Examples)
“If There Is Any” vs. “If There Are Any” – Correct Version

martin lassen dam grammarhow

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.

Источник

We use “any” + singular noun when we are looking for a specific piece of information or in certain positive sentences. We use “any” + plural nouns in regular interrogative and negative sentences.

If I ask you any question, you will answer it for me.

Do you have any questions? 

We usually use “any” in questions and negative sentences but it is possible to use “any” in positive sentences. Read more from my article about when to use some and any.  

We use “any” in questions when we don’t know if another person knows or has something. 

Do you have any chocolate?

Do you have any questions?

We use “any” in negative sentences to mean that we have nothing.

I don’t have any chocolate.

I don’t have any questions.

Any + Plural Nouns(Uncountable)

We usually use “any” with plural and especially uncountable nouns in questions and negative sentences.

Do you have any milk left in the fridge?

Do you have any bicycles for sale?

I don’t have any milk left in the fridge.

I don’t have any bicycles for sale.

It is possible to use “any” + singular nouns but it is less common than “any” + plural nouns.

We “any” + singular nouns when we are looking for a specific piece of information. 

Do you have any idea where my coat is?

In this case, we only want to know the answer to one question and we don’t want many suggestions.

“Any” is also common to use when “any” is used in the positive when something the noun is not important or when we use “if”. 

Any in positive sentences

We sometimes use any in positive sentences

  • When it is not important which one

Pass me any tie. I don’t care

We can go to any game you like.

  • When the sentence has a negative idea

We never get any chocolate. 

He stayed there without any clean clothes.

  • When we use if

Let me know if you need anything

I am sorry for anything he has done wrong

Read more about the difference between “Is There A”, “Is There Any”, and “Are There Any”

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Conor is the main writer here at One Minute English and was an English teacher for 10 years. He is interested in helping people with their English skills and learning about using A.I tools at work.

Источник


Asked by: Lauretta Wyman

Score: 4.8/5
(27 votes)

Any may be used as a singular or a plural pronoun, depending on whether it refers to “at least one” or “one or more.” You may use either a singular verb like is or a plural verb like are with any (although use of the plural is more common).

What follows after any?

Sometimes a singular countable noun follows any in a question: … As a pronoun, any stands for a noun that has already been expressed, or when it is followed by the preposition of: Of all the books I have read, this one is more memorable than any. If there are any of the pecans left after the sale, you may have them.

Should I add s after any?

If you use any or some with countable nouns, the nouns should be plural, i.e. you should add an ‘s’. If the noun following any or some is uncountable, don’t add an ‘s’.

Is it any has or any have?

Senior Member. Yes, «has» is correct there — the answer will take «has» with «neither», not » have». 1. Your question uses «has» for «any» («any of them») where «them» means only two persons, so «any» can only be one of the two persons.

Do any or does any?

It would be correct to say «Do any philosophies believe» because now you have a plural subject, «philosophies,» and a plural verb form. It is confusing that plural nouns typically end in ‘s’ whereas singular, third person verbs in the present tense end in ‘s.»

22 related questions found

Do or does in a sentence?

“Does” is used for singular subjects like “he,” “she,” “it,” “this,” “that,” or “John.” “Do” is used to form imperative sentences, or commands. Example: Do your homework. “Does” is never used to form imperative sentences.

Which is correct anyone has or anyone have?

It’s «if anyone has», because «anyone» functions as third person singular. It probably just seems right to use «have» because you would for any other number or person.

Has or have everybody?

So, is it “everyone has” or “everyone have”? The correct form is “everyone has.” There are very few cases where “everyone” would ever be followed by “have,” but, for the most part, you will always use the singular “has.”

Has or have after or?

You’ll notice that the only subject you should use «has» with is third person singular (he has, she has, it has). You should use «have» everywhere else. The subject «Al and Sue» is third person plural (the same as «they»), so use «have.»

Has anyone taken or took?

Took is the simple past tense, whereas taken is the past participle. This means that you can say took on its own, e.g. I took the cake, but you have to have an auxiliary (helping) verb with taken, e.g.

What comes after some singular or plural?

If the word that you want to put after «some» has a plural form, then use the plural form of the verb: Some people are egoistic. If the word doesn’t have a plural form, use the singular form: Some information is incorrect.

Is any questions grammatically correct?

«Any question» places a strict limit on the number of questions allowable to exactly one. For example, there was exactly one question as to who wore the pants. However, where the number of questions has not been determined, or is unrestricted, then the plural should be used.

When to use have and has in a sentence?

A simple and easy tip to memorize the difference is that, whenever you create sentences with I, you, we, they or any other plural noun, use ‘have‘, whereas if you are making a sentence with he, she, it or any singular noun, use ‘has’.

How do you use have and has in a sentence?

While the verb to have has many different meanings, its primary meaning is “to possess, own, hold for use, or contain.” Have and has indicate possession in the present tense (describing events that are currently happening). Have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it.

When should I use are in a sentence?

When deciding whether to use is or are, look at whether the noun is plural or singular. If the noun is singular, use is. If it is plural or there is more than one noun, use are. The cat is eating all of his food.

Which is correct everybody is or everybody are?

‘Everyone is‘ is the correct version. Although ‘everyone’ sounds like a lot of people, it is actually a singular pronoun, and therefore requires a singular verb.

Has or had meaning?

‘Has‘ is the third person singular present tense of ‘have’ while ‘had’ is the third person singular past tense and past participle of ‘have. ‘ 2. Both are transitive verbs, but ‘has’ is used in sentences that talk about the present while ‘had’ is used in sentences that talk about the past.

Which is correct everybody or everybody were?

Re: Everybody was Everybody were

Thanks for your help. Since this is subjunctive, «if everybody were as smart as Einstein was» is correct; however most people would use «was», especially in speech or informal writing.

Do anyone or does anyone grammar?

‘Anybody’ is a third person singular form and takes -s in the present simple tense. That’s why the question form requires -s and ‘Does anybody’ is correct. The same would apply to ‘Does anyone’, ‘Does anything’ etc.

Has anyone been or have anyone been?

Anyone is a third-person, singular indefinite pronoun, but does always goes with have. “Has anyone got a pen?” and “Who here has got a pen?” are also correct.

Is anyone or any one?

The indefinite pronoun «anyone»—used as a single word—refers to any person at all, but not to any particular individual. «Any one»—used as two words—is an adjective phrase that refers to any single member of a group of either people or things.

Did sentences examples in English?

Did sentence example

  • Did I hurt you? …
  • «Where did you come from?» …
  • And that was the way it did happen. …
  • Did you know that? …
  • How did you know you loved him? …
  • Still the king did not answer. …
  • No one did , because the Mangaboos did not wear hats, and Zeb had lost his, somehow, in his flight through the air.

Does sentence in English?

«She does her homework before she goes out to play.» «She does many after school activities.» «He does a lot of chores around the house.» «He does the dishes every night.»

Источник

It depends on the context. If a group of people is brainstorming (that is, trying to come up with a bunch of creative possibilities to solve a problem), then I might ask someone «Do you have any ideas?» In this situation, I am expecting that they may have several ideas that are relevant to the problem.

However, if I am asking for an answer to a specific question, I might say something like, «I can’t remember what the capital of Pakistan is, do you have any idea?» In this situation, I am expecting that they might have one specific piece of information to offer. This is probably a more colloquial or idiomatic expression than the other one.

And yes, the use of «any» does have a lot to do with questions and negatives. «Any» is a negative polarity item, which means it can only happen in certain contexts. For example, I would never say «I have any ideas» or «I have any books», but I would say «I don’t have any ideas» and «I don’t have any books». I don’t really know how to give you a full explanation of where or why «any» can be used though. The example you give about borrowing «any book» is certainly correct, even though it isn’t negative or a question.

Источник

  • #1

Why is it that any takes a plural noun? For example, She doesn’t have any friends.

Moderator note: Multiple threads merged to create this one.

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 16, 2021

    • Eddie


    • #2

    Hi, Tenderfoot!

    While that’s generally true, there is an exception when you’re dealing noncount nouns:

    I don’t have any money.
    Do you have any butter?

    As to why this partitive is used with count nouns which are plural, the only answer is that it’s use as such is rooted in history. At some point in the past, people started using it that way.

    Ed

    • #3

    If you’re looking for a construction that would use a singular noun, it would be:
    «She doesn’t have a single friend.» or
    «She has not one friend.»

    • #4

    Hello! I’d like to know if we use a plural or a singular form after «Any» in English. For instance would you say «I didn’t get any details» or «I didn’t get any detail»? Thanks in advance!

    • #5

    I would say, «I didn’t get any details.»

    • #6

    You can use «any» with a singular (uncoutable) or a plural (countable) noun.
    I haven’t got any milk.
    I haven’t got any apples.

    • #7

    Hello,

    I have trouble with the following sentence:

    Any of these assumptions is correct

    or

    Any of these assumptions are correct

    What’s the rule (if any!)?

    Thanks a lot for your help!

    • #8

    je ne suis pas sûre, mais je dirais «is» (car on pourrait aussi dire ds le même sens: «any one of these assumptions is correct».
    D’ailleurs, même si cela ne semble pas être une tournure très élégante, mais on dirait: «n’importe laquelle de ces hypothèses + sing.».
    (n’importe laquelle de ces hypothèses peut être envisagée)

    • #9

    Any of these assumptions IS correct, is correct. However, in spoken English you often hear «are,» and not «is.»

    • #10

    Est ce que ces deux phrases sont possibles. Il me semble que any est suivi d’un singulier si le nom qui suit est invariable et d’un pluriel dans les autres cas.
    Serait-il possible de dire :
    -he doesn’t have any sister
    Thanks

    Enquiring Mind


    • #11

    All three are possible.
    «He doesn’t have any sisters». Il n’a pas de soeurs.

    a — «His sister was talking to him on the phone.
    b — But he doesn’t have a sister.» «Il n’a pas de soeur» (The existence of a sister has been mentioned or implied, you simply deny that any sister exists)

    a — «But he told me it was his sister!
    b — He doesn’t have any sister!» (The existence of a sister has been mentioned or implied, you emphasise or insist that there is no sister.)

    Last edited: Sep 9, 2011

    timboleicester


    • #12

    b — He doesn’t have any sister!» :cross:

    I am sorry to put a spanner in the works but this is not possible in this example. He doesn’t have any sisters…is the only possibilty here.

    Maybe you could contrive a sentence and say «there wasn’t any sister….but it would have to be very specific.

    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 23, 2013

    • #13

    Totally agree with Timbo; you can’t say «he doesn’t have any sister.»

    There are times when you can use any + singular noun (even when that noun is variable): «What do you mean, I ordered trout? I never eat any fish!» «Would you like any cake?» «It was hell — they didn’t have any whiskey.» etc.

    Perhaps it’s lunchtime for me?

    Enquiring Mind


    • #14

    Not the standard or usual use of «not … any» with countable nouns Timbo, but it’s certainly possible according to this from which I quote (verbatim):

    Q: «Could you please tell me when to use the plural form of a noun after words like any and no? For example, it seems that people tend to say:

    I don’t have any trees in my yard rather than
    I don’t have any tree in my yard.

    A: Although your paired example sentences are both possible, we don’t usually use any with singular countable nouns in English. For the singular, we would probably use a different formulation. Compare:

    There aren’t any trees along this road.
    There isn’t a single tree along this road.

    There is a slight difference of emphasis here, which is also implicit in your own paired example. In the first sentence, we are thinking of more than one tree and in the second just one.»

    And what about: the instruction book told me to press the red button, but there wasn’t any red button.
    Or you could try reading the gobbledygook forum. But there isn’t any gobbledygook forum.

    Last edited: Sep 9, 2011

    • #15

    Yeah, but that forum doesn’t recommend that we use «I don’t have any tree in my yard.»

    It does say that a sentence like «Won’t you have any lamb?» is acceptable.

    There’s also the case where you could say «It’s not any mountain climber who can make it to the top of Everest» but in that example I feel like a different use or meaning of «any» (i.e. «any which,» «it doesn’t matter which one») is in question. Similarly, if you told me to look for a tall birch tree, I could say «There isn’t any such tree here,» or if you wanted a blonde I could say «There isn’t any girl matching that description here.» I suppose if the context makes it entirely clear that one and only one thing is in question, then you can get away with «There isn’t any [singular countable noun],» but that seems like a rather exceptional case.

    timboleicester


    • #16

    I think we are agreed that it is possible but it is not correct in the example cited above to say «he doesn’t have any sister» this will just lead to confusion and fear. The use of Any + a countable noun in tbhe singular should be reserved for very specific occasions….

    The original poster will therefore be pleased to learn that both the items posted are acceptable.

    • #17

    Bonjour,

    J’ai lu beaucoup de choses, parfois contradictoire sur le sujet. Aussi, j’aimerais avoir un nouveau point de vue.

    1 «I don’t have any favourite film.»

    2 «I don’t have any favourite films.»

    Bien que le pluriel accompagne, le plus souvent, «any». La phrase 1 reste-elle correcte?

    D’avance merci pour vos réponse.

    • #18

    J’aurais dit «I don’t have a favourite film» au singulier.

    Kekepop


    • #20

    Quoique, à mes oreilles, la phrase 1 est très mal faite.. peut-être est-ce dû à une certaine façon de parler ? De ma région, peut-être ? Pour moi je dirais assez simplement : I don’t have any favorite movies. (movies à la place de films puisque je suis américain.)

    • #21

    Hello, I wonder if we can say: «Do you have a kettle» or «Do you have any kettle?» or are both correct?
    Thank you.

    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 3, 2018

    • #22

    You’d have to say the first one if it were something like talking to a friend and asking «Do you have a kettle?». The second is incorrect, but you could say, for example, in a shop that sells appliances «Do you have any kettles?»
    I guess it’s because you only really need one kettle, and most people only have one. :)

    • #23

    Thank you very much.
    Now, can I say «I haven’t any kettle» in the singular?

    AnnieF


    • #24

    If you were answering the question «Do you have a kettle?», as suggested by SuperPatchy then you would say «I don’t have a kettle». If you were a sales person in the shop, you might say «We don’t have any kettles».

    Maître Capello


    • #25

    The singular would, however, be used for non-count nouns, e.g.:

    I don’t have any coffee.

    The singular would be also possible in particular contexts where «any» means n’importe quel(le), e.g.:

    This is not any kettle; it was my great grandmother’s.

    • #26

    Bonjour,

    Je suis tombé sur la phrase suivante et me demande si «any» est préférable à «a», ou si les deux sont interchangeables:

    «There isn’t any chair in his house.»

    «Any» n’est-il pas, en principe, suivi d’un nom pluriel à la forme négative (dans ce cas avec plutôt «aren’t») ? «There aren‘t any chairs in his house.»

    Merci pour votre aide.

    newg


    • #27

    Personnellement, vu qu’on veut mettre l’accent sur le fait qu’il n’y a pas de chaises dans sa maison, j’aurais sûrement dit:

    There isn’t a single chair in his house.

    Par contre, avec le pluriel, je mets volontiers any:

    There aren’t any chairs in his house.

    Kelly B


    • #28

    You’re right — the original doesn’t sound to me like a native English speaker wrote it, and I’d usually write there aren’t any chairs in his house. With the singular I might write there isn’t one chair in his house, or there isn’t a single chair in his house; those both suggest greater emphasis than the usual expression.

    Edit: whoops, cross-posted. :)

    • #29

    Hi Everyone
    1) I haven’t got ANY sister.
    2) I haven’t got A sister.
    I am getting confused about the use of ANY or A in sentences like the pair I have written out above.
    Nbr.1 seems more correct than Nbr.2 However, as I am not a native speaker I do not know if this «feeling» is right nor can I really explain it. Years ago I learnt that ANY can have a qualitative undertone…Like for example in the sentence : He doesn’t drink any wine which could mean he only drinks the best wines. Is that right ?
    Thank you all in advance for helping, advising, explaining ….

    Lacuzon


    • #30

    Bonjour,

    je ne suis pas anglophone mais pour moi la première signifie que je n’ai aucune sœur alors que la seconde signifie que je n’ai pas une (seule) sœur mais peut-être zéro deux ou trois).

    safiadjili


    • #31

    Hi,

    The correct way to say it is «I haven’t got any sisters». Don’t forget the plural with ANY ;)

    You can also say «I don’t have a sister».

    Hope it helps you ;)

    Omelette


    • #32

    Yes, ‘any’ is followed either by a plural (as in that case ‘sister/sisters’) or by an uncountable noun.
    So, you could say ‘I haven’t any wine/food/money/bread’ etc.

    Itisi


    • #33

    ‘He doesn’t drink any wine’ can only mean he doesn’t drink wine at all.
    He only drinks the best wines: he doesn’t drink just any wine/any old wine

    jann


    • #34

    negative + any + plural count noun (sisters) or non-count noun (wine).
    negative + a + singular count noun (sister)


    Je n’ai pas de sœur     = I haven’t got a sister (UK) / I don’t have a sister (US).
    Je n’ai pas de sœurs = I haven’t got any sisters (UK) / I don’t have any sisters (US).

    PaulQ


    • #35

    A: Those are nice apples.
    B: Take one
    A: Which one?
    B: Take any apple.

    «There are strategies that any company can use to improve its profits.»

    However, in its other sense, any means (approximately) some, and is a determiner and any, like some, takes a plural.
    I asked them if they had any books./I asked them if they had some books.

    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 25, 2018

    MysterPedanticke


    • #36

    If you’re looking for a construction that would use a singular noun, it would be:
    «She doesn’t have a single friend.» or
    «She has not one friend.»

    There is some potential for ambiguity here. We might want to indicate:
    1. «She doesn’t have a single friend» (or «She doesn’t have one friend») — «she has many [friends (implied)]».
    2. «She doesn’t have a single friend» — «they are all married».
    3. «She has not one friend» (or «She hasn’t one friend») — «she has several/many».
    And, of course, in speech we can change the emphasis by tone of voice. Difficult to do in print, but we might for example say «She doesn’t have a **single** friend!»

    So, in order to indicate a total absence of friends, we might say:
    «She doesn’t even have one friend», or «She has no friends at all», although we probably wouldn’t usually want to make such global statements, so we might say:
    «She only arrived yesterday, so she doesn’t have a friend in the city yet, but she has lots of friends on the WordReference Forums». :) ]

    As others have said, there are some «rules» like the use with count or uncount nouns, but generally it is largely a matter of custom and «does it sound right?».

    • #37

    Bonjour,

    «I don’t know wether any of us here understand what really happened here.»

    Ce passage est tiré du film Oh God book 2.

    Le professeur n’aurait-il pas dû dire understands ici ?

    Merci.

    Maître Capello


    • #38

    Les deux nombres sont possibles selon que le locuteur attend normalement un singulier ou un pluriel. Le singulier est toutefois l’accord habituel en style soutenu.

    I don’t know whether any of us understand(s) what really happened here.

    • #39

    Hello, I struggle to use any because I never know if I should use it in singular or plural. I know that the singular form is used for uncountable nouns (example:Is there any information). But what about countable nouns, is it possible to use both? If yes, does it have a different meaning.

    is there any book on the shelf?/ are there any books on the shelf?

    there isn’t any passport left/ there aren’t any passports left.

    Are the both options possible?

    furthermore, I do struggle to use it with ‘do/does’
    which one is correct and why

    does any of you have a key?
    do any of you have a key?

    does any of them take the test after 1:00 pm?
    do any of them take the test after 1:00 pm ?

    if any of them take(s) the test… then….
    you can see that I put the ’S’ between () because I don’t know if it is the 3rd singular voice that is used (he/she/it)

    couls you help me?
    thanks,

    • #40

    Is there any book on the shelf?
    Are there any books on the shelf?:tick:

    There isn’t any passport left.
    There aren’t any passports left.:tick:

    Does anyone (of you) have a key?

    Quelqu’un a-t-il une clé?
    L’un d’entre vous a-t-il une clé?

    Do any of you have a key?:tick:

    does any of them take the test after 1:00 pm?
    do any of them take the test after 1:00 pm?:tick:

    if any of them takes the test… then….

    Last edited: Jul 12, 2021

    • #41

    Hello Juan thanks for your response, I have a question , did you validate both options for each sentence every time or the second one?

    plus , are you saying that anyone should be used instead of any with does? So ’does’ +’any’ doesn’t make sense, when used with the second person in ‘of you’ ?
    and does /do can both be used with ‘of them’?

    • #42

    Hello Juan thanks for your response, I have a question , did you validate both options for each sentence every time or the second one?

    I checked the second option. It seems that any works best in the plural case. In the singular case, I feel the need for a different construction.

    Is there a book on the shelf? (for example, I may be trying to find a book that I lost)

    are you saying that anyone should be used instead of any with does?

    Well, it could just be a case of personal preference. I prefer

    Does anyone?
    Do any of you?

    Does any of you? sounds wrong to my hears. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard someone say it.

    does /do can both be used with ‘of them’?

    I prefer do any of them?

    You may hear an American ask does any of them.

    Last edited: Jul 14, 2021

    Gemsh


    • #43

    is there any book on the shelf?/ are there any books on the shelf?

    there isn’t any passport left/ there aren’t any passports left.

    Are there any books is correct. Is there any book is incorrect. We can only use any for plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
    For example: Is there any rice? Is there any coffee? Rice and coffee are uncountable.

    • #44

    Hello, juan and gemsh, thanks for your responses they’re really helpful🙏 .

    However I do have another example, this time it is a negative statement:

    I didn’t understand any word you just said/ I didn’t understand any words you just said.

    we agree that ‘word’ is countable, right?
    However, this time the singular sentence (1st option) seems to be the right one to me. Am I right? Is it because it is a negative statement?

    Gemsh


    • #45

    No, it’s because it’s: I didn’t understand any (of the words) you just said. In natural speech, we often avoid saying unnecessary words, because the listener understands those words are part of the sentence, even if we don’t say them. Another way would be, “I didn’t understand a single word you just said.”

    • #46

    I think my probem stems from this website : Any Is or Are: Is Any Singular or Plural?

    Any may be used as a singular or a plural pronoun, depending on whether it refers to “at least one” or “one or more.” You may use either a singular verb like is or a plural verb like are with any (although use of the plural is more common).

    It is basically saying that both the options are possible for countable nouns.
    do you think this is wrong?
    Or would you only advise to use any with plural countable nouns in positive statements as it sounds more natural (but it would mean that the singular statement is not necessarily wrong?)

    No, it’s because it’s: I didn’t understand any (of the words) you just said. In natural speech, we often avoid saying unnecessary words, because the listener understands those words are part of the sentence, even if we don’t say them. Another way would be, “I didn’t understand a single word you just said.”

    Sorry I’m lost , so which one is correct ? the plural form again?
    thanks for your answer :)

    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 11, 2021

    Gemsh


    • #47

    We use any in negative statements and questions for singular uncountable nouns and plural nouns. In positive statements, we use a + a singular countable noun or some for singular uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns.
    Ex. There is a book.
    There is some rice.
    There are some books.
    Is there a book? There isn’t a book.
    Is there any rice? There isn’t any rice.
    Are there any books? There aren’t any books.

    I would say , “I didn’t understand anything you just said,” or, “ I didn’t understand a single word”.

    • #48

    I didn’t understand any word you just said/ I didn’t understand any words you just said.

    Ok, so the debate among English speakers comes down to when any refers to countable nouns. Some of us (myself and Gemsh) imagine that any is plural. If we are talking about only one item, we’ll say it differently.

    In the example you give, I would say

    I didn’t understand (a/ONE) word you said.

    Gemsh


    • #49

    But we also use any for uncountable nouns in negatives and questions.

    • #50

    I think my probem stems from this website : Any Is or Are: Is Any Singular or Plural?

    He does say that any can be either singular or plural, when we are dealing with countable nouns. But, whenever he uses a sentence with the word there, he invariably takes any as plural. Besides two negative constructions, one of his examples is a question.

    “Can I have the oranges?” “Sorry, there aren’t any.”
    “Check if there are any strawberries left.” “No, there aren’t any.”
    «Are there any books  in the bag?»

    He does say that anyone, anything, and anybody are singular, but I gave you that example already.

    So, I spent a good hour looking at the web page you showed me. Apparently, they are not equivalent. Although the verb can be either singular or plural, in the examples he gives, countable nouns (or their pronouns) are invariably plural.

    • Is/are any of the books on sale?
    • Does/do any of you know the answer?
    • Has/have any of them called yet?

    This is why you invariably say there are, or ask are there?

    • Are there any books in the bag?

    In negative constructions, you can also use no and none.

    • There are no apples left.
    • There aren’t any students left.
    • There aren’t any left.
    • There are none left.

    Источник

    Could anybody please explain the use of singular or plural noun following «any»? I have seen its use with both singular and plural nouns. For example, «any informations, any vacancies, any advice, any help».
    I think [ANY + countable noun (plural)]
    and [ANY + noncountable noun] <—- e.g. «any help» etc.
    Am I right?
    regards,
    Meg

    [ANY + noncountable noun] Yes, possible.
    [ANY + countable noun singular] Yes, possible.
    [ANY + countable noun plural] Yes, possible.

    For the first one, you have no choice. (By the way, «information» is noncountable in English. There is no word «informations».) Emotion: smile

    The choice between the second and third may be what’s giving you trouble. Can you give more specific sentences where you are having difficulty deciding whether singular or plural is correct?

    Thank you very much CalifJim for your help!

    [ANY + countable noun singular]
    [ANY + countable noun plural]

    Now I understand this. Actually I used to think that [ANY + countable noun plural] was wrong. But now the use of ANY is clear to me.

    And for the word «informations», thanks for catching my mistake. Emotion: smile

    [ANY + countable noun plural] is not at all wrong. I’m glad you don’t think so anymore!Emotion: smile

    Thanks CalifJim for your help.
    Actually I am a non-native speaker of English. The problem with non-native speakers is they translate their language to English and sometimes what we think is correct in our own language may not be correct while translating. In my language, we don’t use ANY with plural noun. And there are many other examples like ANY.
    I am glad that with the help of friends like you, I am able to understand the correct usage of English.
    Warm regards,
    meg2589

    The problem with non native speakers could be because of the translation from their native languages. It could also because of the fact that most of the non native speakers think in their native languages when they have to speak and try to put words in english that would be of close match. If we start thinking in English, the problem can be resolve I guess.

    Also, English as a language is very unscientific and has no logical reasoning. For many a things, we have to blindly agree.

    All the best

    Emotion: smile

    Do you have any questions?
    Do you have any question?

    Any difference between the two sentences meaningwise?

    Calif,

    You said that the choice between

    ANY + plural countablenoun or

    ANY + singular countable noun

    depends on context. I hope you could explain more.

    I have two examples to start with. The teacher explains a lesson and then says:

    a. Clear! Any questoins?

    b. Clear! Any question?

    Any difference between them?

    Another example. You want to borrow a pen, so you say:

    a. Do you have any pens?

    b. Do you have any pen?

    Any difference between them?

    Thanks a lot.

    a. Clear! Any questoins? << more idiomatic; use this one

    b. Clear! Any question?

    a. Do you have any pens? << more idiomatic; use this one

    b. Do you have any pen?

    In questions and negations, and perhaps in general, a (an) is usually used with the singular — not any.

    Do you have a question?
    Do you have a pen?
    You don’t have a pen?
    He didn’t want to ask a question.

    any with the singular is found in if clauses, sometimes with the meaning even a single:

    If any mistake is found, …

    If any person dares to disobey, …
    If there is any poem you would like to share with the class, …

    And also in the meaning whatever, no matter which.

    You can choose any dessert you want.
    Any inexpensive gift will do. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

    Any member of the committee you ask will tell you the same thing.

    CJ

    Show more

    Join the discussion

    Источник

    quote:

    When we listen to any song , John is always repeating the words after the singer.

    She changed «songs» to «song» though «song» is a countable noun, Do you know why?

    You are very observant, Ismael.

    «Any songs» would not be really incorrect, but here’s what I was thinking:

    You could say, «When we listen to SOME SONGS…» This would be the normal way to state the idea that there are some songs that we are listening to.

    You might say, «When we listen to ANY SONGS…» In this case, «any» means «any kind at all,» but there is no indication that there has been a discussion about the type of songs you are referring to. It doesn’t seem to work here.

    It’s different in the singular with «any.» You can say «…ANY SONG at all» to introduce the idea. It means that this one song — «any song» — represents all songs. You could even say, «When we listen to A song…» You can also use «any» to introduce a noncount noun, as in: «When we get any information at all, we are grateful.»

    «Any» + a plural count noun to introduce one of a general category is not commonly used. However, as you know, «any» is used in place of «some» in negative sentences with plural count nouns and with noncount nouns: «I don’t have any books / information.»

    Rachel

    Источник

    Question

    Обновлено на

    8 сент. 2022


    • Упрощенный китайский (Китай)

    • Традиционный китайский (Тайвань)

    • Английский (американский вариант)

    • Японский

    • Английский (британский вариант)

    Вопрос про Английский (британский вариант)

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    • Английский (британский вариант)

    @darwingame10

    I’m not sure what you’re trying to ask. I assume if the word «any» should be used as a singular or plural noun?

    If so, the word «any» has many different uses depending on the context. It is commonly used as an uncountable.

    «Any» is used with plural nouns especially when something is uncountable or in a negative question or sentence. For example, «I don’t have any milk left.»

    «Any» with plural nouns is more common than «any» with singular nouns. We use the word «any» with singular nouns when we want to find something or find out information. For example, «Do you have any idea what this could mean?». This way may be worded as «anywhere» in some cases. For example, «Do you know anywhere that sells this brand?».

    Hope this helps.




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    • Мне трудно понимать даже короткие ответы на данном языке.

    • Могу задавать простые вопросы и понимаю простые ответы.

    • Могу формулировать все виды общих вопросов. Понимаю ответы средней длины и сложности.

    • Понимаю ответы любой длины и сложности.

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