Grammar Practice in Context - David Bolton, Noel Goodey 1997
69 Someone, something, somewhere, etc.
Quick reference
• We use someone(-body), something, somewhere in affirmative sentences and in polite requests, offers and suggestions.
There’s somebody outside. (affirmative) Would you like something to eat? (offer)
Can you tell me something? (request) Shall we go somewhere quieter? (suggestion)
We use anyone (-body), anything, anywhere:
• in questions and negative sentences.
Did you know anybody at the party? There isn’t anything we can do to help.
• when they mean ’it doesn’t matter who, which or where.’
You can sit anywhere. We can eat anything we like.
• We use no-one(-body), nothing, nowhere with a verb in the affirmative.
Nobody knows we're here. Nothing is simple.
• All the words above are used with a verb in the singular.
but we use they, them, their when we refer to somebody, anybody, etc.
There's someone on the phone. - Take their number and tell them I’ll ring later.
• Someone, anything, nowhere, etc. can be followed by an infinitive or an adjective.
/ want somebody to help me. We couldn't find anywhere cheap to stay.
1 Complete the dialogue between Simon and his sister Alice, using somebody (someone), anybody (anyone), something, anything or somewhere.
Simon: Did (1) phone while I was out?
Alice: Yes, (2) ... phoned just after you left.
Simon: Was it (3) ... interesting?
Alice: I don’t know. It was (4) ... called Anna, I think she said.
Simon: I don’t know (5) ... called Anna. But I know (6) ... called Hannah. Did she say what she wanted?
Alice: Yes, she said (7) ... about a party on Saturday. She said she didn’t have (8) ... to go with.
Simon: That’s a pity, because I’m already going (9) ... else on Saturday night.
Alice: Who with?
Simon: (10) ... you don’t know.
2 A boy is talking to a girl at a party. Complete what he says, using someone (somebody), something, anything, somewhere or anywhere.
I’m sure I’ve seen you (1) ... before. Or maybe you just look like (2) ... I once knew. Do you know (3) ... here? I know (4) ... in that group of people over there. But I don’t know (5) ... else. You haven’t got (6) ... to drink. Would you like (7) ...? Are you sure you don’t want (8) ...? How about (9) ... to eat? No? Oh well, there isn’t (10) ... to sit in here. Shall we go and find (11) ... in the other room? I’ve got (12) ... to tell you.
3 This man has been unemployed for a long time. Complete what he says, using nobody (no-one), nothing or nowhere.
(1) ... understands why I don’t get a job. The reason is that (2) ... ever offers me a job because I’ve got no address. And the reason why I’ve got (3) ... to live is because I can’t pay a month’s rent in advance. And I can’t borrow the money because (4) ... I know has got any money. They’re all like me - they’ve got (5) ..............................................................................................
4 Andrew and Sarah are on holiday but Sarah is determined not to enjoy herself. Complete what she says, using anyone/anybody, anything or anywhere.
Andrew: Where shall we sit?
Sarah: We can sit (1) ... I don’t mind.
Andrew: What would you like to eat?
Sarah: (2) ... I don’t care.
Andrew: What do you want to drink?
Sarah: (3) ... You can choose.
Andrew: Who shall we talk to? Those people over there?
Sarah: (4) ... I don’t mind.
Andrew: What do you want to do later?
Sarah: (5) ... I don’t mind.
Andrew: Where do you want to go tomorrow?
Sarah: (6) ... I don’t care.
5 Read the dialogue below between the parents of a missing teenage girl and a detective. If a line is correct, put a tick (/) after it. If a line has a mistake in it, underline the mistake and write the correct word in the brackets.
(1) ’She left without telling anything where she was going.(...)
(2) And since then we’ve heard nothing. We’ve phoned all
(...)
(3) her friends but nothing has seen her.’
(...)
(4) ’Can you tell me anyone else? Did you have an argument
(...)
(5) about anything on the evening she left?’
(...)
(6) ’No, something unusual happened at all.
(...)
(7) She just said she was going somewhere and she wouldn’t be late.’
(...)
6 A number of students are sharing a house. Complete what each of them is saying, using someone, something, somewhere, anyone, anything, anywhere, nobody, nothing, nowhere.
