Difference between "some" and "any"

Question

Can anybody please tell me what the difference between some and any is?

Here are two examples:

Can you please give any advice on that?

Can you please give some advice on that?

Use **some** when you’re talking about something that is specific and use **any** when you’re talking about something that is not specific. https://www.grammarly.com/blog/learn-the-difference-between-some-and-any-in-less-than-a-minute/ — Raj 33, Jan 07 '18 at 18:42
The use of *any* in that sentence may suggest that the person addressed has given no satisfactory advice so far, but other than that there's no productive difference. — Robusto, Jan 07 '18 at 18:44
@Raj33: "Any horse is a quadruped": that is pretty far from specific, yet it's a valid usage. Don't forget that *any* can mean *all*, which is decidedly non-specific. — Robusto, Jan 07 '18 at 18:45
related [When to use “some” instead of “a”](https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/280/when-to-use-some-instead-of-a) and [Usage of “any” or “some” in “Would you like … wine?”](https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/113090/usage-of-any-or-some-in-would-you-like-wine) and [Using of Some and any](https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/80217/using-of-some-and-any) — Mari-Lou A, Jan 07 '18 at 19:04

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 07 '18 at 18:54

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Can you give me any advice on this? [Idea: Is advice even possible here?]

Can you give me some advice on this? [Idea: Just give me some advice, there is advice that can be given]

answered Jan 07 '18 at 18:54

Lambie

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score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 07 '18 at 19:15

any refers to an amount, no matter how little of it there may be:

Is there any salt left?
--Yes, but there is only the tiniest pinch.

or to a set that is not the null set:

Was any person in the audience wearing a baseball cap?
--Yes, there was a guy wearing a baseball cap.

some refers to an indefinite number:

Were people in the audience wearing baseball hats?
--Yes, some people were wearing baseball hats.
Were there many?
--Well, more than a few to be sure.

or to an indefinite amount:

I would like to try some of your soup, but just a little, please.

Difference between "some" and "any"

2 Answers2