Some or Any? Exercise 2
level: Beginner/Intermediate (A2/B1)
A second exercise on some and any, moving beyond the basic rule to cover more nuanced cases: some in offers and requests, any in positive sentences, and both words used as pronouns. If you haven't done exercise 1 yet, start there.
Grammar review
Some and any — beyond the basics
The core rule is: some in positive sentences, any in negatives and questions. But several important patterns don’t follow this neatly.
SOME in offers and requests:
When a question is really an offer or polite request, use some — because you expect a positive response.
Would you like some tea? (offering)
Could I have some time to think? (requesting)
ANY in positive sentences (“whichever / no matter which”):
Any in a positive statement signals free choice or unlimited scope.
You can go to any store — they all carry it.
Call me at any time.
Barely / hardly + any:
Expressions like barely and hardly are negative in meaning, so they take any.
He has barely any free time these days.
Both as pronouns:
When used without a following noun, both words act as pronouns.
Some of them will probably show up. / I don’t know if any of them will come.
The core rule is: some in positive sentences, any in negatives and questions. But several important patterns don’t follow this neatly.
SOME in offers and requests:
When a question is really an offer or polite request, use some — because you expect a positive response.
Would you like some tea? (offering)
Could I have some time to think? (requesting)
ANY in positive sentences (“whichever / no matter which”):
Any in a positive statement signals free choice or unlimited scope.
You can go to any store — they all carry it.
Call me at any time.
Barely / hardly + any:
Expressions like barely and hardly are negative in meaning, so they take any.
He has barely any free time these days.
Both as pronouns:
When used without a following noun, both words act as pronouns.
Some of them will probably show up. / I don’t know if any of them will come.
Choose whether each of the following sentences requires some or any.
EXAMPLE: He wanted to buy some bread.
KEEP PRACTICING — MORE EXERCISES FOR YOU:
Some and any follow different rules depending on the sentence type — these exercises cover the broader family of English quantifiers.
More quantifier exercises:
Some or any? 1 (B1/B2)
Much or many? 1 (A2/B1)
Much or many? 2 (A2/B1)
So or such? 1 (B1/B2)
Fewer or less? 1 (B1/B2)
Much or a lot of? 1 (B1/B2)
English quantifiers 2 (B1/B2)
Related noun exercises:
Countable or uncountable nouns? 1 (A2/B1)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 2 (A2/B1)
Browse all grammar exercises →
Some and any follow different rules depending on the sentence type — these exercises cover the broader family of English quantifiers.
More quantifier exercises:
Some or any? 1 (B1/B2)
Much or many? 1 (A2/B1)
Much or many? 2 (A2/B1)
So or such? 1 (B1/B2)
Fewer or less? 1 (B1/B2)
Much or a lot of? 1 (B1/B2)
English quantifiers 2 (B1/B2)
Related noun exercises:
Countable or uncountable nouns? 1 (A2/B1)
Countable or uncountable nouns? 2 (A2/B1)
Browse all grammar exercises →
