[Grammar] You would be unwise to lend Tom any/some money.

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doquan0

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Hi all
One of my English exercises requires me to choose between any and some. This sentence below quite confused me:

You would be unwise to lend Tom any / some money.

The given answer is 'any' but I'm don't understand why. Does 'any' frequently appear in negative sentences and questions?

May you help explain the reason and give me some similar examples?
 

Tarheel

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The word "any" is often used that way. Example:

You can't have any more. You've had enough.
 

Raymott

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Yes, it's a negative sentence. The corresponding positive sentence would be, "You would be wise to lend Tom some money."
The original means "Don't lend Tom any money."
 

Raymott

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I meant it's negative for the current purposes. I agree that it's not a grammatically negative sentence. The concept it describes is negative.
 
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TheParser

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Hello, DoguanO:

Here is some information that may interest you. It comes from a book used by many teachers and learners.

"We use any in affirmative clauses after words that have a negative or limiting meaning." (my emphases)

Here are just three of its examples (my emphases):

1. "You never give me any help."

2. "There is little point in doing any more work now."

3. "I forgot to get any bread."


Source: Michael Swan, Practical English Usage (1995 edition), entry 522.4 on page 548.
 

jutfrank

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I have trouble explaining this too but the way I understand it is that some is more definite/specific/determined whereas any is more indefinite/unspecific/indetermined.

  • Can you lend me some money? (I'm likely to have a definite amount in mind)
  • Can you lend me any money? (I probably don't)

I think that's why we tend to use any in negative sentences -- because they generally are more likely to emphasise an unspecified amount.

I'm not particularly convinced by Michael Swan's analysis, and I think the third example cited above by TheParser:

  • I forgot to get any bread.

would be more likely to be

  • I forgot to get some bread.

because you probably had a definite amount of bread in mind, ie., a loaf.
 

emsr2d2

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In BrE, for jutfrank's last suggestion, you're more likely to hear simply "I forgot to get bread".
 

TheParser

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I understand it is that some is more definite/specific/determined whereas any is more indefinite/unspecific/indetermined.
NOT A TEACHER


Excellent point.

Here are two examples that I have never forgotten:

1. Man knocks on door: "Is anyone in there?" (He simply does not know.)

2. Woman knocks on door: "Is someone in there?" (She suspects that there may be, for she hears some noise in the room.)
 

Tdol

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Yes, it's a negative sentence. The corresponding positive sentence would be, "You would be wise to lend Tom some money."
The original means "Don't lend Tom any money."

You could also say You would be wise to lend Tom no money, which isn't a very natural sentence, but does bring the negativity to the fore.
 
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