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Moon7296 Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Any + singular/plural nouns?

Is there a rule for a noun followed by any?

I heard that a noun followed by any should be singular other than any + of a plural noun. Is this right?

Or is there no rule ? but just use singular/plural nouns followed by any?

I ask this question cause I've seen any + plural nouns quite a lot of times. ex) Do you have any plans for this summer?
  

Top answer

The American Heritage Dictionary says: When used as a pronoun, any can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on how it is construed: Any of these books is suitable (that is, any one ). But are any (that is, some ) of them available? The Compact Oxford says: When used as a pronoun any can be used with either a singular or a plural verb, depending on the context: we needed more sugar but there wasn't any left ( singular verb ) or are any of the new videos available?

— Mister Micawber

  • The American Heritage Dictionary says: When used as a pronoun, any can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on how it is construed: Any of these books is suitable (that is, any one ).
  • But are any (that is, some ) of them available?
  • The Compact Oxford says: When used as a pronoun any can be used with either a singular or a plural verb, depending on the context: we needed more sugar but there wasn't any left ( singular verb ) or are any of the new videos available?
  • ( plural verb )
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2 Answers
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The American Heritage Dictionary says:

When used as a pronoun, any can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on how it is construed: Any of these books is suitable (that is, any one). But are any (that is, some) of them available?

The Compact Oxford says:

When used as a pronoun any can be used w
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moon7296a noun followed by any should be singular .... Is this right?
No. The noun after any can be either singular or plural, but it would have to be singular if it's an uncountable noun.

After negatives:

I don't have any books to lend you today. (book is countable)

I don't have any sugar to lend you tod
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