Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
In this unit you are going to learn about "some", "any" and "no" used as determiners,
and how to make offers and requests. You are also going to learn the pronouns "one" and
"ones" and the question word "which".
When "some" is used with a plural noun or with an uncountable noun its meaning is similar
to the indefinite article "a" / "an" used with a singular countable noun.
I've got a friend in Melbourne. I've got some friends in Melbourne. We bought a table. We
bought some furniture. "Some" can also be used as a pronoun, without
a noun. If a friend says I'm going to the bakery to get some bread. you can say You
needn't go. We've got some. As a rule, "some" is used in affirmative sentences,
while "any" is used in negative sentences and questions: We've got some bread. We haven't
got any bread. Have we got any bread? "Any" is also used in sentences whose meaning
is negative even if the verb is in the affirmative. This happens with "never", "without", "hardly"
and "prevent". He never has any money. I think I'll be able
to do that without any trouble. He does hardly any work. The noise prevented me from getting
any work done. Like "some", "any" can be used as a pronoun:
I'm afraid we haven't got any. "Some" is not used in negative sentences but it can be used
in questions. "Some" is used in offers: Would you like some
tea? Can I give you some more cake? I'm going to the shops. Shall I get some fruit?
"Some" is also used in requests: Could I have some tea, please? If you go shopping, would
you get some milk? Have you got an umbrella and some boots I can borrow?
"Some" is also used when we expect "yes" for an answer: Is there some time next week that
we can meet? We also use "some" in questions when we have
a definite idea of what we want: Where can I buy some stamps? Do you think you could
give me some information? Remember not to use "some" and "any" with
singular countable nouns: I have got some sister. I haven't got any car. Is there any
table in the room? are mistakes. I have got a sister. I haven't got a car.
Is there a table in the room? are correct. When not used on their own as pronouns, "some"
and "any" must be directly followed by a noun (some discoveries) or modifying adjective
and noun (some important discoveries). In other cases, we use "some of" / "any of".
"Some of" / "any of" are used: -- before the definite article some of the girls in my class
-- before demonstratives (this, that, these, those) some of this advice some of these people
-- before possessive adjectives (my, your, etc.) -- before possessive pronouns (mine,
yours, etc.) -- before nouns in the possessive case (Mary's, the Browns')
some of her friends some of yours some of Mary's friends
-- before object pronouns (it, you, us, them) some of it isn't very interesting as some
of you know
"No" used with nouns and pronouns means "not any". "No" can only be used in affirmative
sentences as in standard English it is not considered correct to use a double negative.
The most famous double negative of all times was a deliberate use of non-standard English:
I can't get no satisfaction. "No" is used when we want to emphasize the
negative aspect of what we are saying. "No" is not used as frequently as "not any". The
meaning of the following sentences is similar but the sentences with "not any" are the ones
you are more likely to hear: I don't have any cigarettes. I have no cigarettes.
There aren't any buses on Sunday. There are no buses on Sunday.
"No" is used in formal writing: No application submitted after May will be considered.
"No" is used at the beginning of a sentence: No tourists come to my town.
"Any" used as a determiner cannot be used at the beginning of a sentence: Any tourists
don't come to my town. Any tourists come to my town. are mistakes.
Like "some" and "any", "no" can only be used when it is followed directly by a noun (no
tourists) or modifying adjective and noun (no foreign tourists).
Instead, before the definite article, object pronouns, demonstratives and possessive adjectives,
possessive pronouns and nouns in the possessive case we use "none of":
none of the people I saw none of them none of this none of Mary's friends
In one-word answers, we cannot use "any" or "no". We can only use "none": How many mistakes
did you make? None.
We are going to look at different ways to make offers. The modal verbs "shall", "should",
"will", "would", "can" and "could" are used. Offers are usually questions but statements
can also be used. Remember that all modal verbs are followed
by the base verb, the infinitive without "to", and that with modal verbs we do not use auxiliary
verbs in negative and interrogative sentences. Offers can be made with "shall I", "shall
we" and with "should I", "should we" as you saw in a previous lesson. You have also seen
how to make offers with "I will" and "we will". "Will you" can be used to make offers or invitations.
Generally offers with "will" are informal, used when speaking to a friend: Will you have
another biscuit? Will you come for tea on Tuesday?
Remember that "will you" must be followed by a verb: Will you a cup of coffee? is a
mistake. "Will you" is not followed by the verb "like"
or verbs whose meaning is similar to "like": Will you like to come for tea on Tuesday?
is a mistake. "Would you" is widely used in offers. It is
used followed by the verb "like", or another verb with a similar meaning ("enjoy", "care
for", "fancy", "prefer") when offering things, especially food and drink:
What would you like to drink? Would you like a cup of coffee? Would you fancy a drink?
Would you prefer rice or pasta? Would you enjoy going for a walk?
Do not forget to use a verb after "would you like": Would you a cup of coffee? is a mistake.
In offers we use "a" / "an" with singular countable nouns and even though they are questions,
we use "some", with plural nouns and uncountable nouns.
Do not use "any". Would you like a cup of coffee? Would you care for some biscuits?
To offer help, we can use either "would you like" or "can". "Would you like me" and "would
you like us" is followed by an infinitive: Would you like me to carry that? Would you
like us to bring something to the party?Would you like me to do the dishes?
You must use "would you like me" / "would you like us to" in exactly this form: Would
you like that I Would you like that we are mistakes.
We can also offer help using "can I", "can we": You look thirsty. Can I get you something
to drink? Can I help you? That suitcase looks heavy. Can I carry it for you?
"May I", "may we" + base verb can be used instead of "can" in formal situations but
nowadays this is not very common."May" cannot be used in affirmative sentences when offering
help.
Requests are usually made as questions using "can", "could", "will", "would". We are going
to look first at ways to make requests for help and after that we'll look at how to make
requests for permission. Requests for help can be made with "can you"
+ the base verb: Can you please help me? Can you tell me the way to the station, please?
Can you get some bread on your way home? "Could you" is also used in requests for help.
It is slightly more tactful than "can you". Thus if a request is a somewhat difficult
one, we would probably use "could you": Could you drive me to the station, please?
To make a request even more tactful we can say: Do you think you could drive me to the
station, please? Could you possibly drive me to the station, please? You couldn't possibly
drive me to the station, could you? To ask another person to do something, we
can use "would you" + base verb. Requests with "would you" are less polite than requests
with "could you": Would you give me a hand? Would you meet me
at the station, please? Would you please phone me if you're going to be late?
Now we are going to look at ways to ask for permission to do something.One way to do this
is to use "can I", "can we": Can I speak to Jane, please? Can I use your
telephone? Can I sit here please? Can we park here?
"Could I", "could we" are used in the same way when the situation is felt to be a bit
more formal. If instead of telephoning a friend, you are telephoning an office or phoning someone
you do not know well, you can say: Could I speak to Ms. Smith, please? In a restaurant
you could say: Could we have the bill, please? There is very little difference between "can"
and "could" in requests for permission. Could I speak to Jane, please? is an acceptable
way to make an informal request. Note that in giving and refusing permission,
you should not use "could" / "couldn't". You must use "can" / "can't".
In answer to Could I borrow your pen, please? Yes, you could. No, you couldn't. are mistakes.
"May I", "may we" and "might I", "might we" are used to ask for permission in more formal
situations. Nowadays, especially in speech, "can" and "could" are far more common. Very
few people use "may" or "might". Requests for permission can also be made with
"do you mind if I", "do you mind if we" + base verb and with "would you mind if I",
"would you mind if we" + a verb in the past tense.
"Would you mind" is considered more tactful than "do you mind". Do you mind if I look
at your newspaper? Would you mind if I used your phone?
When asking to speak to someone on the telephone or asking to see a person, we do not make
requests with "is there": Is there Gigi? is a mistake.
In a telephone conversation, we say: Is Gigi there? When asking to see a person, we say:
Is Gigi here? In both of these situations, we can say: Is
Gigi in? Is Gigi home? You can answer either: Yes, just a moment
please. or No, he's not in just now. No, I'm afraid he's not.
Now you know several different ways to make offers and requests and to reply to offers
and requests. Before we go on to the next topics, let's look at how the word "please"
is used. As you've seen, it is used to accept an offer:
Yes, please. and to make a request more polite. Instead of Can you open the door? we generally
say Can you open the door, please? There are cases when the use of "please" is
a mistake: -- "please" cannot be used in response to "thanks". Correct replies to "thank you"
or "thanks" are "You're welcome", "Not at all".
-- "please" cannot be used to ask someone to repeat something. Say:What? Pardon? Could
you repeat that? -- "please" cannot be used on its own when
giving someone something. Say: Here. Here you are.
There are two more points that we are going to look at in this lesson. The first is the
use of the question word "which". "Which", like "what", can be used with nouns or on
its own as a pronoun. Which kind of soup would you like? Which would
you like? There is a difference in meaning between "which" and "what".
"Which" indicates that one's choice is more limited. If we are considering a wide range
of possibilities, we use "what":What's your favourite flavour ice cream?
If we are considering a limited number of possibilities, we use "which": Which flavour
ice cream would you like: vanilla, chocolate or strawberry?
The last topic we are going to look at is the use of the words "one" and "ones". Often
we use these words so that we do not need to repeat a noun.
"One" is used in place of a singular noun. "Ones" is used in place of a plural noun.
I'll take the red sweater, not the blue one. I'd like some apples, some red ones.
Remember that "one" and "ones" can only be used to refer to countable nouns. "One" can
be used with "a" / "an", "the", "this" and "that": a blue one the blue one this one,
that one "Ones" can be used with "some", "the", "these"
and "those": some red ones the red ones these ones, those ones
In questions, but only when referring to countable nouns, "one" / "ones" can be used with "which":
Which one would you like? You cannot use "one" / "ones" after "which"
when you are referring to uncountable nouns. If someone says I'd like some meat, please.
you have to sayWhich meat would you like? or Which would you like?
"One" / "ones" can be omitted after "which" with no change in meaning: Which apples would
you like? Which would you like? That is the end of the lesson. Now you can
do the exercises on the grammar points presented in this unit.