Any

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

Thanks for answering my previous posts.

You're welcome.

1. any (one) brand
2. any (one) occasion
3. Do you have any cars? (rent-a-car company)
4. Do you have a car? (a person who doesn't have more than 100 cars)
5. Do you have any car?
=> Do you have an (one) car (I could use)? (Said at a rent-a-car company)

[jack]

1. any (one) brand
2. any (one) occasion

Thanks. This is very useful. I'll keep this in mind.

Also,

1. any (one) brand

When you use brackets for 'one', does 1. that mean 'one' have to be in there? Or It is also correct when 'one' is not in there?

2. Or It is also correct when 'one' is not in there? (Statement?)
3. Or Is it also correct when 'one' is not in there? (Question?)

=> Do you have an (one) car (I could use)? (Said at a rent-a-car company)

4. Do you have any (one) car I could use? (So this is incorrect right? Or is it correct because 'one' is omitted?)

What do these mean?
5. Do you have any one car I could use?
6. Do you have any one car I can use?

[Casiopea]

'one' doesn't have to be there. Brackets (...) represent an omitted word.

2. and 3. are correct, as is 4.

5. Do you have any one car I could use? (OK)
6. Do you have any one car I can use? (OK if you have a disability.)

On the phone with a rent-a-car place
Max: Do you have any cars?
Agent: No. We don't
Max: Any one car? That is, it doesn't matter what kind or type of car it is.
Agent: Well, we have a few cars, but they're last year's model.
Max: That's OK, but I'm disabled, so do you have any one car that I can use? (i.e., have the ability to drive)

[jack]

Thanks.

[Casiopea]

You're welcome. :D

[jack]

I saw this on a staple box.
1. For use in any (one) standard size stapler. ('One' is omitted here right? How come they use 'stapler' not 'staplers'?)

How come they don't use 'staplers'?
2. For use in any standard size staplers.

Are these correct? What do these mean?
3. I saw this on a box with staples. (This sounds kind of awkward, how can I fix this? What does 'with staples' mean?)
4. I saw this in a box with staples. (This sounds kind of awkward, how can I fix this?)
5. I saw this on a staple box. ('staple' is an adjective right?)

6. Do you get any (one) discount for this product? ('one' is omitted right? And you only get one discount?)
7. Do you get any discounts for this product? (More than one discount?)

What do these mean? What's the point of using 'computer' vs 'computers'?
8. How would you like to store data on CD so that you can use them on almost any computer?
9. How would you like to store data on CD so that you can use them on almost any computers?

[jack]

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...9560&dict=CALD
He's been having treatment for two months now without any improvement. (For 'any improvement' Is 'improvement' uncountable here? Or is it 'any (one) improvement' where 'one' is omitted? If so, then is it countable because it can be 'any improvemnts'? How do I know if it is uncountable or if 'one' is omitted?

Are these correct? If not, why? What do these mean?
1. I don't see any reason why not. (Is 'one' omitted between 'any' and 'reason'? If so, then 'reason' is countable right? How do I know if it is omitted or not so I can tell if it is a countable noun or an uncountable noun?)
2. I don't see any reasons why not.

3. I don't have any water. (So 'water' is uncountabel here right? And 'one' is not omitted between 'any' and 'water' right?)

[Casiopea]

1. 'any' is used with negatives: I don't have any shoes, water, sheep, or children.

2. He's ill, and there hasn't been any improvement in his condition. (Note, one condition, one improvment)

[jack]

1. 'any' is used with negatives: I don't have any shoes, water, sheep, or children

I don't really get what you mean by use 'any' with negatives? Or is it just an example?

Also, could you explain these to me please? I don't understand this. Thanks so much.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/def...39560&dict=CALD
He's been having treatment for two months now without any improvement. (For 'any improvement' Is 'improvement' uncountable here? Or is it 'any (one) improvement' where 'one' is omitted? If so, then is it countable because it can be 'any improvemnts'? How do I know if it is uncountable or if 'one' is omitted?

Are these correct? If not, why? What do these mean?
1. I don't see any reason why not. (Is 'one' omitted between 'any' and 'reason'? If so, then 'reason' is countable right? How do I know if it is omitted or not so I can tell if it is a countable noun or an uncountable noun?)
2. I don't see any reasons why not.

Are these corrrect?
3. I don't really get what you mean by use 'any' with negatives?
4. I don't really get what do you mean by use 'any' with negatives? (Is this incorrect? Should it be 'I don't really get it. What do you mean by use 'any' with negatives?')

[Casiopea]

Wow! You sure do type fast.

Note, any shoes (count), any water (non-count), any sheep (plural). Number doesn't make a difference, so there's no need to pursue why 'any' occurs with coun/non-count nouns.