Some and Any: Quantity, Offers and Requests —
Meaning in Context.

Question 1

“We bought some rice.” This tells us _____.

Options: that we bought rice, and exactly how much, that we bought rice, but not how much, that we did not buy any rice

Question 2

“You can use any towel in this cupboard.” This means you can _____.

Options: choose only the towel the speaker wants, check whether the cupboard has a towel, choose whichever towel you want

Question 3

“We haven’t got any cups.” The speaker means _____.

Options: that there are no cups, that there are a few cups, that only certain cups are missing

Question 4

A shop assistant asks a colleague to check the shelves: “Do we have any flour?” This asks the colleague _____.

Options: to bring some to the speaker, to check whether it is in stock, to accept some from the speaker

Question 5

“I saw eggs in your shopping bag. Do you have some for breakfast?” The speaker _____.

Options: has no clue whether eggs are available, wants to offer eggs to the listener, thinks eggs are available and wants to check

Question 6

“You have just been to the bakery — have you got some bread?” The speaker _____.

Options: expects that there is bread, is asking without any idea whether there is bread, is offering bread to someone

Question 7

A host holds out a plate and says, “Would you like some cake?” The host is _____.

Options: asking whether a guest has cake available, offering cake to a guest, asking a guest to provide cake

Question 8

At a café, a customer says to the waiter, “Could I have some water, please?” The customer is _____.

Options: asking the waiter to check the stock, offering the waiter a glass of water, asking the waiter to bring water

Question 9

The salt is beside you. I say, “Can you pass me some salt, please?” I am _____.

Options: asking you to give me salt, only asking whether any salt is available, offering to give you salt

Question 10

A shop assistant checks a shelf: “Is there any bread?” A customer says, “Could I have some bread, please?” _____.

Options: The assistant asks to receive bread; the customer checks what is available, The assistant checks what is available; the customer asks to receive it, The assistant offers bread; the customer asks to receive it

Question 11

The waiter has confirmed that bread is available. A customer now says, “Could I have some, please?” The customer _____.

Options: wants the waiter to check for bread, wants the waiter to accept bread, wants the waiter to bring bread

Question 12

“Are there any rooms available?” “No, there aren’t any.” The reply means _____.

Options: no rooms are available, one room is available, all rooms are available