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Swampy Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Anybody didn't come to the meeting
I had an argument with my teacher of whether "anybody" is used in this sentence:
Anybody didn't come to the meeting.
My "sense of english" says that "anybody" doesn't fit this sentence. Moreover, it was to choose between "nobody", "anybody" and "somebody" in the test that included this exercise. In the test, I chose the latter - "somebody", as in "somebody didn't come to the meeting".
My teacher said "somebody" is technically correct, however, she said, "anybody" was the key to this exercise.
I doubt my sense of english, but I doubt my teacher's variant too. Please explain, if possible, why "anybody" is used in such a situation (before "didn't"). As that is all I seek by this thread.
Anybody didn't come to the meeting.
My "sense of english" says that "anybody" doesn't fit this sentence. Moreover, it was to choose between "nobody", "anybody" and "somebody" in the test that included this exercise. In the test, I chose the latter - "somebody", as in "somebody didn't come to the meeting".
My teacher said "somebody" is technically correct, however, she said, "anybody" was the key to this exercise.
I doubt my sense of english, but I doubt my teacher's variant too. Please explain, if possible, why "anybody" is used in such a situation (before "didn't"). As that is all I seek by this thread.
Top answer
"Anybody didn't come to the meeting" is impossible in English. The answer key was wrong. Only "somebody" makes sense in this context.
- "Anybody didn't come to the meeting" is impossible in English.
- The answer key was wrong.
- Only "somebody" makes sense in this context.
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3 Answers
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"Anybody didn't come to the meeting" is impossible in English. The answer key was wrong. Only "somebody" makes sense in this context.
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Hello Swampy
Was that the whole context?
For instance, you could say:
'If anybody didn't come to the meeting, please raise your hand now.'
MrP
Was that the whole context?
For instance, you could say:
'If anybody didn't come to the meeting, please raise your hand now.'
MrP
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The sentence you quoted just sounds strange with 'anybody' at the beginning.
You could say:
Nobody came to the meeting.
but:
Anybody didn't come to the meeting. - sounds incorrect to me.
Somebody didn't come to the meeting. would imply that someone you'd expected to turn up didn't. In other words e.g. not all the people who were invited came to the meeting.
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