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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary
any
How do I know when to use singular or plural after any? Any fixed rule? Do I need to put s on rule?
Top answer
Generally, use singular with uncountables and plural with countables, and you won't go wrong: There isn't any buckwheat paste left. There aren't any silicon wafers left. With your example, it depends on how many rules you anticipate: Are there any fixed rules?
- Generally, use singular with uncountables and plural with countables, and you won't go wrong: There isn't any buckwheat paste left.
- There aren't any silicon wafers left.
- With your example, it depends on how many rules you anticipate: Are there any fixed rules?
- Is there any fixed rule?
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6 Answers
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Generally, use singular with uncountables and plural with countables, and you won't go wrong:
There isn't any buckwheat paste left.
There aren't any silicon wafers left.
With your example, it depends on how many rules you anticipate:
Are there any fixed rules?
Is there any fixed rule?
There isn't any buckwheat paste left.
There aren't any silicon wafers left.
With your example, it depends on how many rules you anticipate:
Are there any fixed rules?
Is there any fixed rule?
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Mister MicawberWith your example, it depends on how many rules you anticipate:
Are there any fixed rules?
Is there any fixed rule?
MM,
Hmmm....
So 'any' can be used in both sentences above?
How about the below two:
Do you have any pencils?
Do you have any pencil?
Are they b
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Do you have any pencils?Grammatically both are correct but only the first is natural, as an inquiry into possession. Pencils are small, similar items of which we expect the listener to have several. If we wish to borrow one, we only need one-- which one is unimportant-- and will inquire, Do you have a pencil?
Do you have any pencil?
Cases w
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Thanks for your reply MM.
So going back to the pencil sentence...when you use 'any' in a question, you are not necessarily meaning 'some'? In which case you would have to say 'any pencils.'
So going back to the pencil sentence...when you use 'any' in a question, you are not necessarily meaning 'some'? In which case you would have to say 'any pencils.'
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Maybe that's the way to look at it. Anyway, do you have any pencils is standard, and do you have any pencil is odd. I find the use of the indefinite article more natural than any in all of the singular cases above, by the way: a rule, a pencil, an opinion, a way.
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