Is "any" followed by a singular ar plural noun?

[tufguy]

Is "any" followed by a singular ar plural noun?

I have always been confused about it.


1) She doesn't have any friend.

2) She doesn't have any friends.

 

[emsr2d2]

It is followed by the plural for countable nouns and the singular for uncountable nouns.

She doesn't have any friends.
Do you have any friends?

I don't have any water.
Does she have any water?

 

[tufguy]

It is followed by the plural for countable nouns and the singular for uncountable nouns.

She doesn't have any friends.
Do you have any friends?

I don't have any water.
Does she have any water?

We can never use singular if we are talking about countable nouns. Am I correct? Like we can't say "there are no denials on this claim" even if we are asking for multiple potential denials. Am I correct? We will always have to say "there is no denial on this claim". Is it correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

We can never use singular if we are talking about countable nouns. Am I correct? Like we can't say "there are no denials on this claim" even if we are asking for multiple potential denials. Am I correct? We will always have to say "there is no denial on this claim". Is it correct?

No, that's wrong. We would say "There are no denials on this claim". (I don't know what it means but I know what the first four words would be!)

 

[tufguy]

No, that's wrong. We would say "There are no denials on this claim". (I don't know what it means but I know what the first four words would be!)

Okay, plural for countable nouns. Am I correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

Okay, plural for countable nouns. Am I correct?

Read the first nine words of my response in post #2 and explain why you felt the need to ask this question.

 

[Tdol]

Okay, plural for countable nouns. Am I correct?

Generally, yes. However, you will see things like Any person entering this building without a permit will be arrested.

 

[tufguy]

Read the first nine words of my response in post #2 and explain why you felt the need to ask this question.

I was asking whether it is a hard and fast rule. Is there a condition in which we need to use "Singular" for countable nouns or not.

 

[Glizdka]

Not a teacher
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Any works with singular, plural, and uncountable nouns. It's not any that makes you have to use plural friends; it's the context.

It's a general statement similar to "She doesn't like apples". Here, it's "She doesn't have friends", and then you add any to it.

Admittedly, even though any works with singular nouns, if the noun is countable, it's usually plural with any. It's not a hard and fast rule, though.