some/any; somebody/anybody etc.; much/many etc.
Context Listening
Look at the four people in the pictures below. They’ve all left a message on Mia’s
answerphone. Where is each person? Why do you think they’re phoning?
Listen to the four messages. Were you right?
Listen again and answer these questions.
Grammar
Some and any
We use some and any before both countable and uncountable nouns.
We often use some in questions which are requests or offers:
Can you buy some crisps?
Shall I buy some food?
No means ‘not any’.
He’s got no bags. = He hasn’t got any bags.
He’s got no luggage. = He hasn’t got any luggage. (not He has any bags)
Somebody/anybody/nobody/everybody etc.
We’ll find somewhere quiet.
Have I forgotten anything?
I haven’t found anything.
!not anything = nothing; not anybody = nobody; not anywhere = nowhere:
There isn’t anybody here. = There’s nobody here. (!NOT: There isn’t nobody here.)
! Everybody, everyone, everything and everywhere have a plural meaning but they are followed by a singular verb:
Where is everybody?
Everything is organised.
Much / many / a lot / a few / a little
We use a lot of / lots of with both countable and uncountable nouns.
We use a few (= more than two but less than a lot) and many with countable nouns but we use a little and much with uncountable nouns.
We can also use a couple of (= two) and several (= more than a few) with countable nouns:
He’s got a couple of / several bags.
Look at each pair of sentences. Select Same if their meaning is the same and Different if it is different.
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