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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > ... for almost everything or anything?
... for almost everything or anything?
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Roclam
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... for almost everything or anything?
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Dear colleagues, a student has written: everyone uses technology for almost everything I have the feeling he should have written "for almost anything" instead. What do you think? Thank you!!
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21 May 2015
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Gi2gi
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To me, they both sound Ok (and the same).
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21 May 2015
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yanogator
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OK, Georgi, you get to learn another fine point of English, which I know you enjoy. First, I agree with Lynne, that "everything" is the�better choice in general. �However, if you want to emphasize the wide variety of ways technology can be used, you can use "anything". The difference is very small, but using "everything" emphasizes the total number of ways to use technology, while "anything" emphasizes the individual ways to use technology. � Another example, which might make the difference clearer: ��At that store you can buy everything you need. (total) � At that store you can buy anything�you need.� (individual items) � Bruce�
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21 May 2015
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ep89za
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Thanks Bruce for the examples.
If we elaborate on them, as in:
1. At that store you can buy everything you need, but not anything. 2. At that store you can buy anything you need, but not everything.
Do we get: 1. All the things you now need can be found in that store. Its variety of products, however, is limited. and 2. The range of goods in that shop is unlimited. However, you can �t possibly afford to buy all of them.
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Thanks,
Zoi |
22 May 2015
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yanogator
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Well, Zoi, I don �t think we would say either of those sentences. My examples would describe the same store, just emphasizing their offerings differently. Bruce
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22 May 2015
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ep89za
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Thanks a lot, Bruce.
I was wondering about that. |
22 May 2015
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Roclam
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Thank you you all for the explanations and the examples, now it �s much clearer! |
24 May 2015
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