We use a singular verb after every/everyone/everybody/everything:
e. g. Every seat in the theatre was taken.
Everybody looks tired today.
Everything he said was true.
! We use every to say how often something happens.
e. g. We go out every Friday.
The buses run every ten minutes.
Both/either/neither
Either has three meanings:
a) Each of the two (один из двух, любой из двух)
b) one of the other (тот или другой)
c) both (и тот и другой, каждый из двух)
e. g. You may go by either road. – Можете идти по той или другой дороге (любой из двух)
Here are two dictionaries, you may take either of them. – Вот два словаря, вы можете взять любой (из них).
There were chairs on either side of the table. – С той и другой (с каждой) стороны стояли стулья.
Neither (ни тот ни другой)
e. g. Neither of the statements is true. – Ни то, ни другое заявление не является правильным.
There are also conjunctions: either… or (или… или…), neither… nor… (ни… ни…):
e. g. He is either in Odessa or in Kiev.
Neither my wife nor I liked the story.
Both – оба
e. g. Both (the) brothers live in Odessa.
Both my daughters are married.
They both graduated from Cambridge.
We both know it. = Both of us know it.
You must both go there.
! Both is not used in negative sentences. – We use Neither.
e. g. Они оба не пришли на собрание. – Neither of them came to the meeting.
Мы оба не знали об этом. – Neither of us knew about it.
There is a conjunction both … and – и… и… (так… как…)
e. g. Both Peter and Mary were there.
The coat is both good and cheap.
Other/another
Other (different) can be singular or plural.
e. g. One of them is mine, the other is my sister’s.
Six of them are mine, the others are John’s.
Where are the others.
One after the other – один за одним
The other day – на днях, недавно
Another: a different one (Come another day)
an additional one (We need another day to finish. Can you give me another cup of tea. He may be another Edison.)
One way or another – так или иначе
§ 10. Indefinite pronouns. § 11. Negative pronouns.
The indefinite pronouns are some, any, somebody, anybody, someone, anyone, something, anything, one.
Negative pronouns: no, none, neither, nobody, no one, nothing.
Some/any
Some and any have the meaning of indefinite quantity (uncountable nouns – немного, сколько-нибудь, некоторое количество; countable nouns – несколько, какие-то, какие-нибудь), usually they are not translated into Russian. We chiefly use some in affirmative sentences and we use any in interrogative and negative sentences and in conditional clauses.
e. g. Give me some water, please.
Have you got any water?
There is not any water in the jug.
Give me some water if you find any.
He asked me some questions.
Have you got any questions?
I have not got any questions.
Ask questions if you have any.
! We can use some in requests: Do you want some tea?
! We use any in affirmative sentences in a meaning любой.
e. g. Any fool knows the answer.
With hardly – There is hardly any milk.
With at all – I haven’t any idea at all.
No/None
We can use no instead of not any.
There are not any buses. = There are no buses.
None stands on its own as a pronoun.
e. g. We have no bananas. = We have none.(bananas)
Something/somebody/someone/anything/anybody/anyone
We use some compounds in affirmative sentences: I met someone you know.
Questions expecting “yes”: Was there something you wanted?
Offers and requests: Would you like something to drink?
We use any compounds in negative statements: There is not anyone here who can help you.
In questions: Is there anyone who can help me?
! You would address an audience of both sexes like this:
If anyone wants to leave early, he can ask for permission.
But you would address an audience of female like this:
If anyone wants to leave early, she can ask for permission.
Nothing/Nobody/no one
We use no compounds when the verb is affirmative:
e. g. I have got no time. = I have not got any time.
I have seen nobody. = I have not seen anybody.
I have done nothing today. = I have not done anything today.
! The negative of All the girls left early is None of the girls left early.
One
We use one as a pronoun meaning “everyone/anyone” to refer to people in general only when we want to be formal. In everyday speech we use you.
e. g. One is not allowed to camp where one likes.
You are not allowed to camp where you like.
We use one to avoid repeating the noun/nouns.
e. g. Don’t use that cloth. Use this clean one. (not “Use this clean”)
I don’t want to wear my old shoes. I want to wear my new ones. (not “Wear my new”)
! But we don’t use one in place of an uncountable noun. We repeat the noun or use no noun at all.
e. g. Don’t use that milk. Use this fresh milk. Or: Use this fresh. (not “Use this fresh one.”)
We can use one or ones for people and things:
e. g. Do you know the Smiths? – Are they the ones who used to live in this house?
We use one/ones after which, this/that and adjectives:
e. g. Which one would you like? This one or that one? (But it is possible: Which would you like? – This or that?)
I want these. (Not: “these ones”)
I want these white ones.
Theme I.2. Exercises:
