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Old 12-Apr-2008, 05:47
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Default I don't have brothers or sisters.

Please help me.

a. I don't have any brothers or sisters.
b. I don't have brothers or sisters.
c. I don't have a brother or a sister.

a´Do you have any brothers?
b´Do you have brothers?
c´Do you have a brother?

I can't find any grammatical errors in these sentences above.
I can't tell the differences in meaning, either.
If they're all correct, do they mean the same?

Thank you.
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Old 12-Apr-2008, 06:35
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Default Re: I don't have brothers or sisters.

Can you think of a situation where your response would be :
I don't have any brothers or sisters.

and where you would say instead :
c. I don't have a brother or a sister.
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Old 12-Apr-2008, 07:45
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Default Re: I don't have brothers or sisters.

Thank you, David.

<situation A>
Q:Do you have any brothers or sisters?
A:No, I don't have any brothers or sisters.(meaning I'm an "only child".)

<situation B>
Q:Do you have a brother or a sister?(meaning "which" do you have?)
A:I have a brother(a sister).

I can't think of situations where "I don't have a brother or a sister." might be
used.
However, I realized that there is a difference in meaning between "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" and "Do you have a brother or a sister?"
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Old 12-Apr-2008, 09:39
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Default Re: I don't have brothers or sisters.

She: I come from a big family - there are 9 of us.
He: I don't have any brothers or sisters.


She: My sister and I are like best friends. We do everything together.
He: I envy you. I don't have a brother or a sister.
(stress is placed on 'or')
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