Introduction

“Some” and “any” are used to talk about amounts or quantities that are not defined. Both can be used with countable and uncountable nouns.

Some: a few, some amount

I have some sugar.
I have some friends coming over.

Any: any amount, not any, none

I don’t have any sugar.
I don’t have any friends.

Using “some”

“Some” is mostly used in affirmative (positive) sentences. It’s also used in questions when offering or asking for something:

Affirmative sentences:

My grandma baked some cookies.
I saw some people outside.

Questions (offers or requests):

Would you like some tea?
Can I have some snacks?

Using “any”

“Any” is mainly used in negative sentences and questions. In positive sentences, it indicates “it doesn’t matter which”:

Negative sentences:

I didn’t buy any salt.
She doesn’t have any friends.

Questions:

Do you have any sisters?
Will he bring any guests?

Positive sentences:

Call the police if you have any information about his whereabouts.
She could have bought any toy she wanted. snacks?

“Some of” vs “Any of”

“some of” is used before demonstrative pronouns (this, that), object pronouns (him, us), possessive adjectives (her, your), and the definite article (the):

Can I have some of this cake?
Some of you may know this, but we’re meeting tomorrow at eight.
I met some of her friends yesterday.
I heard some of the kids were expelled.

“any of” is also used in these cases – before demonstrative pronouns (this, that), object pronouns (him, us), possessive adjectives (her, your), and the definite article (the):

I didn’t know any of this.
We didn’t think any of us knew about it.
I’ve never seen any of his friends.
Did any of the rooms have air conditioning?

“Any” + Comparative Adjectives and Adverbs:

“Any” can be used with comparative adjectives and adverbs:

Can’t you drive any faster?
It couldn’t have gone any worse.

Comparison of any vs some

SOME		ANY
POSITIVE SENTENCES (affirmative)
I need some help.		I need any help I can get. “Any” in positive sentences means “it doesn’t matter which”
QUESTIONS (interrogative)
Can I offer you some tea? We use “some” in questions to offer or request something.		Do you have any tea?
NEGATIVE SENTENCES
Not used in negative sentences.		I didn’t meet any strangers.
SOME, ANY + OF
I saw some of the fliers. We don’t use “some” with the articles a/an.		I didn’t see any of the fliers.

Some vs Any

Introduction