1.224 'any'

'Any' is used before plural nouns and uncount nouns when you are referring to a quantity of something which may or may not exist.

• The patients know their rights like any other consumers.
• Check if you're in any doubt.
• You can stop at any time you like.

'Any' is also used in questions asking whether something exists or not. It is also used in negative statements to say that something does not exist.

• Do you have any advice on that?
• Are there any jobs that men can do but women can't?
• It hasn't made any difference.
• Nobody in her house knows any English.
• By the time I got to Sainsbury's, there weren't any tomatoes left.

Note that you can use 'any' with singular count nouns to talk about someone or something of a particular type, when you do not want to mention a specific person or thing.

• Any big tin container will do.
• Cars can be rented at almost any US airport.

'Any' can also be used as a pronoun. See paragraphs 1.94 to 1.160 for more information about pronouns. It is also used in 'if'-clauses.