Unit 1: The Grammar Gameshow
Test your grammar knowledge
Select a unit
Session 9
Welcome to the Grammar Gameshow! Test your knowledge in this crazy quiz! The presenter is a bit strange, the points don't make sense and the prizes could use some improvement, but at least the grammar is correct!
Session 9 score
0 / 3
- 0 / 3Activity 1
Activity 1
Episode 8: Some and Any
In this episode our two contestants will be challenged on their knowledge of some and any. These two very confusing little quantifiers that no one is quite sure how to use! Are you? Do you think you can beat all of our questions? Only some of them? Any of them at all? What will happen in this exciting episode? Watch and find out!
Watch the video and then test yourself below with our quiz
Will
Hello, and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow! I’m your host, Will! – but, I don’t offer to help! And of course let’s not forget Leslie, our all-knowing voice in the sky.
Leslie
Hello everyone!
Will
Tonight we’re going to be asking three questions about…
Leslie
Some and any! Those two confusing words that belong to a group called quantifiers.
Will
OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!
Nick
Hi, everyone. I’m Nick!
Will
And contestant number two.
Helen
Hello, everyone. I’m Helen!
Will
Welcome back Helen! Ok. Let’s get going and don’t forget you can play along at home too.Our first round is a quick-fire round. Listen to these sentences, and tell me if the missing word is ‘some’ or ‘any’. I need to buy … milk.
Nick
Some!
Leslie
Correct!
Will
Did you have … trouble?
Helen
Any!
Leslie
Correct!
Will
There isn’t … time.
Nick
Any!
Leslie
Correct!
Will
I want … peace and quiet.
Helen
Some!
Leslie
Correct!
Will
Would you like … coffee?
Nick
Any!
Leslie
Wrong!
Will
Oh dear, Nick. That last one should have been ‘some’. If you can tell me why, I’ll give you a point.
Nick
It should be ‘any’. It’s a question. We use ‘any’ in a question
Will
Well observed, but not right I’m afraid. Helen, would you like to have a go?
Helen
Something about requests, right?
Will
Can you give me any more?
Helen
Of course! Will £50 do?
Will
Nicely! Leslie?
Leslie
Well done, Helen! We usually use ‘some’ in affirmative sentences, and ‘any’ in questions and negatives. However, if the question is a request, or an offer to help, we also use ‘some’.
Will
Well done Helen! I’ll expect the money in my account later today. 30 points for you!Ok - on to our second round. In question one we established that ‘some’ was used in affirmative sentences, and ‘any’ in questions and negatives. Look at these three affirmative sentences and tell me why we can use ‘any’.
a) There’s hardly any food left.
b) He never has any money.
c) They split up without any argument.
Nick
It’s because…I don’t know. I’m so stupid!
Will
Come on, Nick. Don’t be so negative.
Nick
What?
Will
I said…don’t be so negative!
Nick
Negative! Yes! The structure of the sentence is positive, but the meanings are negative because of the words.
Will
Leslie?
Leslie
Very good Nick. As you said, the structures of the sentences are affirmative, but they all contain words that have a negative or limiting meaning, in this case hardly, never and without. This makes the sentences negative, so we can use ‘any’.
Will
Ten points for you. See? Try to have a little more confidence in yourself, eh? I mean, it's no fun undermining you if you’re already feeling useless. On to our third, and final question. Why is it necessary to use ‘some of’ and ‘any of’ in these two sentences?
I didn’t know any of the people there.
I think some of your friends are here.
Nick
This one’s easy! It’s because they contain the words ‘here’ and ‘there’.
Will
Nope! Totally wrong. Wow, you really messed that one up. Helen?
Helen
Well…maybe it’s because ‘some’ and ‘any’ have another word after them before the noun?
Will
Now, you’re cooking Helen! Leslie?
Leslie
Well done again. When ‘some’ or ‘any’ are followed by a determiner, such as an article or possessive, we use ‘some of’ or ‘any of’.
Will
Good thinking Helen! Six and a half points for you. And that brings us to the end of today’s Grammar Gameshow. Let’s count out the points. And the winner is… Nick! Well done Nick! Just kidding! Helen won! Well done Helen! Here’s what you’ve won!
Leslie
It’s a flip-flop!
Will
Well, Nick, it looks like this is the end. Try to have a little more confidence, eh? Do you have anything to say?
Nick
Please don’t drop me in the pit! I have a wife and two kids!
Will
I’ll think about it…No deal. Set loose the crickets! It looks like we’ll need another contestant. Thanks for joining us. Say goodbye, Leslie.
Leslie
Goodbye Leslie
Will
See you next time.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Did you like that? Why not try these?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Some and Any
Some and any are quantifiers. They tell us how much of something exists (or doesn't).
Some or any?
We generally use 'some' in affirmative sentences, and ‘any’ in questions and negatives. However, if the question is a request, or an offer to help, we also use ‘some’.
I have some sandwiches if you are hungry.
There aren't any chairs for me to sit down!
Will you need any money? I have some here.
Could you make me some food? I'm starving! (request)
Would you like some help? I'm not busy right now. (offer)
Negative or limiting words
Some sentences appear to be affirmative because of certain negative or limiting words e.g. 'hardly', 'never' or 'without'. These mean that even though the sentence has an affirmative structure, the meaning is actually negative. As the rule above says, when a sentence is negative we need to use 'any'.
I'm not staying. There are hardly any people here!
She's always rushing! She never has any time!
I think there's a hamburger without any pickles over there.
Some of...Any of...
When ‘some’ or ‘any’ are followed by a determiner, such as an article (a / an / the) or possessive (my / your / his / her) , we use ‘some of’ or ‘any of’.
I think I have some of your books in my bag.
I didn't know any of the actors in that film.
To do
Try our quiz to see how well you've learned today's language.
The Grammar Gameshow Quiz
3 Questions
Test your grammar knowledge with the Grammar Gameshow quiz!
Help
Activity
Test your grammar knowledge with the Grammar Gameshow quiz!
Hint
We usually use ‘some’ in affirmative sentences, and ‘any’ in questions and negatives. However, if the question is a request, or an offer to help, we also use ‘some’.Question 1 of 3
Help
Activity
Test your grammar knowledge with the Grammar Gameshow quiz!
Hint
Some words have a negative or limiting meaning. This causes the meaning of the sentences to become negative, even though they have an affirmative grammar structure. Because the sentence is negative, we use 'any'.Question 2 of 3
Help
Activity
Test your grammar knowledge with the Grammar Gameshow quiz!
Hint
When ‘some’ or ‘any’ are followed by a determiner, such as an article (a / an / the) or possessive (my / your / his / her) , we use ‘some of’ or ‘any of’.Question 3 of 3
Excellent! Great job! Bad luck! You scored:
Downloads
You can download the audio and PDF document for this episode here.
More
That's all from Leslie and the contestants for this episode. Why not go to The Grammar Gameshow homepage to watch another one?