Any

[jack]

I don't get it. 'Any' is plural right?

1. If there is any problem, don't panic. (How come this is correct? Isn't 'any' plural so doesn't problem needs to be 'plural' as well?)
2. If there are any problems, don't panic.

 

[Nahualli]

Any is not plural. Any means.... wow this one's hard to explain Many is the plural form of any. It's not a perfect form however, as "any" can be used to describe one or several objects as well.

So, while any can mean "any one" or "any number of..." many can only mean "several of..."

-Nah-

 

[Casiopea]

I don't get it. 'Any' is plural right?

1. If there is any problem, don't panic. (How come this is correct? Isn't 'any' plural so doesn't problem needs to be 'plural' as well?)
2. If there are any problems, don't panic.

In addition,

1. If there's any problem (i.e., any one kind/type of problem),....
2. If there're any problems (i.e., more than one problem),....

 

[jack]

Thanks.

So 'any' can be plural or singular right?

Are these correct? What do t hese mean?
1. This is suited for any occasion.
2. This is suited for any occasions.

3. This is suited for any one of the occasion. (Is this wrong?)
4. This is suited for any one of the occasions.

5. Can I have any candy?
6. Can I have any candies?
7. You can have any candy you want.
8. You can have any candies you want.

 

[jack]

Can someone help me with the post above? Thanks.

Are these correct? What do these mean?
1. It can be any brands?
2. It can be any brand?

3. Can it be any brand for your TV? (What is 'it' referring to?)

 

[jack]

Can someone help me with the post above? Thanks.

What do these mean? When you're asking someone a question, does it matter which one you use?
1. Do you have any cars?
2. Do you have car?

 

[Casiopea]

1. This is suited for any occasion. (OK: any one specific occasion)
2. This is suited for any occasions. (Not OK)
3. This is suited for any one of the occasion. (Not OK; any one of (plural noun))
4. This is suited for any one of the occasions. (OK)

5. Can I have any candy? (Try, Can't I have any candy?) OK 'candy' is a mass noun here
6. Can I have any candies? (Try, Can't I have any candies?) OK 'candy' is a count noun here
7. You can have any candy you want. (any one candy, just one; count noun)
8. You can have any candies you want. (all candies; count noun)

 

[Casiopea]

1. It can be any brands? (Not OK)
2. It can be any brand? (OK)
3. Can it be? 'it' refers to a previously mentioned noun or statement.

Max: The line has been busy for an hour.
Pat: Can it be? (it = the line has been busy for an hour)

 

[Casiopea]

1. Do you have any cars? (OK)
2. Do you have car? (Try, "a car")

 

[jack]

Thanks for answering my previous posts. :-D

1. It can be any brands? (Not OK)

Why isn't this okay? I looked 'brands' up in a dictionary and it says it is a count noun?

2. This is suited for any occasions. (Not OK)

Why isn't this okay? I searched 'occasions' in a dictionary as well and it says it is a count noun?

1. Do you have any cars? (OK)
2. Do you have a car? (Try, "a car")

When asking someone a question, does it matter which one I use?

This is incorrect right?
1. Do you have any car? (car=count noun?)

 

[Casiopea]

Thanks for answering my previous posts. :-D

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) :lol:
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. :up:

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.

 

[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/define.asp?key=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.

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. :shock:

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. ;-)