No and any

UNIT 81 No and any

A.   No     none    no one      nobody     nothing     nowhere
We use these negative words especially at the beginning of a sentence or alone:

• No one (or Nobody) came to visit when was in the hospital.

• No system of government is perfect.

• "Where are you going?''   "Nowhere. I'm staying here.''

• None of these books are mine.

• ''What did you do?" "Nothing."

You can also use these words in the middle or at the end of a sentence. But don't use "not"
with these words. They are already negative:

• I saw nothing. (not I didn't see nothing.)

In the middle or at the end of a sentence, we more often use: not . . . any/anyone/anybody/anything/anywhere:

• I didn't see anything. (=I saw nothing.)

• We don't have any money. (= We have no money.)

• The station isn't anywhere near here. (= . . . is nowhere near her)

• She didn't tell anyone about her plans. (= She told no one)

Where there is another negative word, you don't need "not":

• Nobody tells me anything. (= People don't tell me anything.)                        

B.   No and none

We use no with a noun. No = not a or not any:

• We had to walk because there was no bus. (= there wasn't a bus)

• I can't talk to you now. I have no time (= I don't have any time)

• There were no stores open. (= There weren't any stores open.)

We use none alone (without a noun):

• "How much money do you have''  "None.''

Or we use none of:

• none of these shops.

• none of my money.

• none of it/us/you/them.

After none of + a plural word ("none of the girls/none of them,'' etc.), you can use a singular or a plural verb. A plural verb is more usual, especially in spoken English:

• None of the people I met were English.

C.   After no one/nobody we often say they/them/their:

• Nobody called, did they? (= did he or she)

• No one in the class did their homework. (his or her homework)

D.   You can use any/no with comparative (any better/no bigger, etc.)

• Do you feel any better today? (= Do you feel better at all?- said to someone who felt sick yesterday)

• We've waited long enough. I'm not waiting any longer. (= not even a minute longer)

• I expected your house to be very big, but it's no bigger than mine. (= not even a little bigger)