Something vs. anything

[alman]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #76 "Anything/nothing/something/everything", question 4

There is ......... I need to do tomorrow afternoon.

(a) any
(b) anything
(c) yet
(d) something

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #76 "Anything/nothing/something/everything", answer 4

There is something I need to do tomorrow afternoon.

Correct answer: (d) something

Your answer was: incorrect
There is anything I need to do tomorrow afternoon.
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why something?

alman

[Daniela]

Dear learner,
Anything is used in negative and interrogative sentences. For example:
Is there anything you want to ask me?
There isn't anything I want to ask you. = There is nothing I want to ask you.
Daniela
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[Mister Micawber]

.
Any- means one, some, every, or all without differentiation.
Some- means an unspecified number or quantity.

The speaker in the example sentence wishes to indicate an unspecified task for tomorrow, so only the some- form (something) will work here.

Any- is not limited to negative and interrogative statements, nor is some- limited to affirmatives; it depends on the intent. They do, however, often appear in those kinds of sentences because of the meaning conveyed. These sentences are correct:

If there is anything you want, please ask me. (neutral)
If there is something you want, please ask me. (speaker thinks there may be a wanted item)
Is there anything you want? (neutral)
Is there something you want? (speaker thinks there may be a wanted item)
That isn't something I would tell a stranger. (from a 'finite' collection of secrets)
That isn't anything I would tell a stranger. (from an 'infinite' collection of secrets)
.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's