Grammar 'Is there any problem?' is this sentence correct?

2008-03-12 8:54 pm
I saw on the yahoo homepage this morning an ad from English Town that asking which one of the two sentences is correct: 'Is there any problem?' and 'Are there any problems?' It followed by saying 'Are there any problems?' is correct. As far as I know both sentences are correct and I don't think the word 'any' have to be followed by a plural. Am I missing something or English Town is trying to make ppl think their English is crap and fork out and take their courses?

回答 (2)

2008-03-12 10:29 pm
✔ 最佳答案
我的英文是有限公司, 但想提些意見:
1. 文法上, 兩句都正確的, 因為 any 可以後接單數或複數名詞, 只是意思有點不同.
(a) 接可數名詞的單數形: 強調"任何一個", 像中文的 "哪一個"
例(1) Does any one has an answer? (哪一個人可以解答?)
例(2)Any property agent will tell you the flat prices are rising. (哪一個都這樣說, 即是人人都這樣說)
(b) 接可數名詞的複數形, 強調 "有沒有任何..."
例 Call me if you have any questions. ("有任何" 問題就call我)
到這裡, 大家也許開始明白為甚麼 (b)的例子的question不是用單數. 如果用了單數, 譯為中文就好像說 "如果你有任何"一條"問題就call我吧". 這裡的"一條"是多餘的.
2. 問句的情況
由於問者是的重點是 "有沒有問題", 不是問你 "有哪一條問題", 因此用複數確實比用單數合適.
但我也留意到在英美澳等英語國家, 兩種方法都有人用 (雖然用複數的比較多). 英語是英語世界的人的語言, 大多數native 採用的就是正確. 因此, 我認為不應該太過針對用單數的人, 指他為錯誤. 但我們學習外語, 當然以盡可能學習正確的文法.


2008-03-12 8:57 pm
Whenever you see the word "any". It means more than ONE. Therefore, when it is in plural form, it would use "ARE".


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