City University of Hong Kong CLASS CLASS
Making Sense of Grammar
1 like 0 dislike
6,131 views
"any"只能用在否定句或疑問句嗎?
asked Nov 30, 2017 in Questions about English Grammar by admin (25,520 points)
edited Dec 4, 2017 by admin | 6,131 views

1 Answer

1 like 0 dislike
Best answer

「any 只能用在否定句和疑問句」的說法並不完全,也不正確。

舉例來說,"That cat will chase any dog." 和 "You may take any of these." 這兩個句子既非否定句,意非疑問句,但仍可使用 any。這是因為在英語中「真實」與「非真實」的概念主導了any 的用法

我們不能說 "Anyone did it." 或 "Anything happened.",因為 any 不具有指涉性,沒有確切的指涉對象,所以不能用在真實發生、必然有確定參與者的事件中;反之,我們會說 "Somebody did it." 或 "Something happened.",因為 someone, somebody, something 雖然不是我們可指認的人、事、物,還是只設了確定的某人、某事、某物,只是我們不曉得是誰罷了。

如果事件尚未發生,屬於「非事實」,那麼「誰」都有可能參與其中,這時「沒有明確指涉對象」的 any 就派上用場了:

Anybody may come. → 任何人都可能來

Anything may happen. → 任何事情都可能發生

總而言之,否定句和疑問句的性質皆屬「非事實」,所以才會搭配無指涉性的 any。然而,any 的用法不僅限於否定句和疑問句,情態句、命令句、條件句、未來式等任何屬於「非事實」的句式皆可使用 any。

情態句:You may take any of these.

命令句:Take any of these!

條件句:If you take any of these, he will be really mad.

未來式:I will do anything for you.

related question: 哪些句式可以用來表達「非事實」?

https://goo.gl/SDWxWU

answered Nov 30, 2017 by admin (25,520 points)
selected Aug 21, 2020 by Mickey

1,613 questions

1,882 answers

207 comments

15,645 users

1,613 questions
1,882 answers
207 comments
15,645 users