someone/somebody

[Vladv1]

If I am in a room full of people and expect a positive answer to the following questions, should I say " Does somebody want an ice cream?" or "Does someone want an ice-cream"? The examples are mine.

 

[jutfrank]

You've read somewhere or you've been told that you should use 'some' instead of 'any' in questions if you expect a positive answer. I'm not convinced you've understood this fully.

Still, the question here is about whether there's a difference in meaning between 'someone' and 'somebody', to which the answer is no.

 

[Vladv1]

You've read somewhere or you've been told that you should use 'some' instead of 'any' in questions if you expect a positive answer. I'm not convinced you've understood this fully.

Still, the question here is about whether there's a difference in meaning between 'someone' and 'somebody', to which the answer is no.

"You've read somewhere or you've been told that you should use 'some' instead of 'any' in questions if you expect a positive answer" - could you please elaborate on that? What is the difference between " Does somebody want and ice-cream/ Does anybody want an ice-cream?"

 

[jutfrank]

What is the difference between " Does somebody want and ice-cream/ Does anybody want an ice-cream?"

I suggest you don't make up examples yourself until you've got it clear in your mind. Let your teachers do that.

Here's a better example. Imagine your friend walks into the room where you are and you observe him silently searching for an object in the room. You could ask:

Are you looking for something?

Your choice of something over anything comes from the fact that you know that he is looking for something and that he's going to say yes. Of course, in this situation you could also ask What are you looking for? because you know for sure that he is looking for something specific.

Here's a less clear example. You've been waiting for the postman because you hope that he will bring a parcel sent by your Aunt Marina. When he arrives at your door, you eagerly ask:

Do you have something for me?

In this case, you don't know for sure that he will say yes but you hope and expect that he will. Your use of something over anything shows that you're thinking specifically about Aunt Marina's parcel.