A2Articles, pronouns and determiners

Something, anything, nothing

Choose some-, any- and no- words according to whether the sentence is positive, negative, a question, or an offer/request where a positive answer is expected.

Overview

What this grammar does

Choose some-, any- and no- words according to whether the sentence is positive, negative, a question, or an offer/request where a positive answer is expected.

Form and rules

How it works

Use something/somebody/somewhere most often in ordinary positive statements.

Use anything/anybody/anywhere most often in questions and after a negative verb.

Use nothing/nobody/nowhere to give a negative meaning without another negative verb: I saw nobody.

Avoid double negatives in standard English: say I didn't see anybody, not I didn't see nobody.

Offers and requests often use some- words when the speaker expects or hopes for a positive answer: Would you like something to drink?

A closer look

Meaning and use

Avoid double negatives in standard English: say I didn't see anybody, not I didn't see nobody.

Offers and requests often use some- words when the speaker expects or hopes for a positive answer: Would you like something to drink?

Examples

See the pattern in complete sentences

There's something in my bag.

I didn't hear anything.

Nobody answered the door.

Would you like something to eat?

We have nowhere to park.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

I need anything from the supermarket, but I can't remember what it is.

I need something from the supermarket, but I can't remember what it is.

An ordinary positive statement about an unspecified thing normally uses something.

Did you see something unusual?

Did you see anything unusual?

Questions normally use anything unless the speaker strongly expects a positive answer.

Ready to practise?

The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.

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