Words / A1

EN-eeth-ing/ˈeniθɪŋ/

When the thing has no name yet, and the sentence is a question or a no, English often uses anything. Can you see anything? I did not buy anything. In a yes sentence, something is the usual pair. Anything sits where a noun would sit.

Meaning

A thing of any kind, used especially in questions and negatives.

Examples

• “I cannot hear anything.”
• “Did she say anything?”
• “We could not find anything in the fridge.”

Good to know

anything in questions / no. Pair in yes sentences: something.

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