UNIT 85. No/none/any

A. No none nothing nobody/no one nowhere

You can use these negative words at the beginning of a sentence or alone:

* No cars are allowed in the city centre.

* None of this money is mine.

* 'What did you say?' 'Nothing.'

* Nobody (or No one) came to visit me while I was in hospital.

* 'Where are you going?' 'Nowhere. I'm staying here.'

You can also use these words after a verb, especially after be and have:

* The house is empty. There's nobody living there.

* She had no difficulty finding a job.

No/nothing/nobody etc. = not + any/anything/anybody etc.:

* We haven't got any money. (= We've got no money.)

* I didn't say anything. (= I said nothing.)

* She didn't tell anybody about her plans. (= She told nobody...)

* The station isn't anywhere near here. (=... is nowhere near here)

When you use no/nothing/nobody etc., do not use a negative verb (isn't, didn't, can't etc.):

* I said nothing. (not 'I didn't say nothing')

* Nobody tells me anything. (not 'Nobody doesn't tell...')

B. We also use any/anything/anybody etc. (without 'not') to mean 'it doesn't matter which/ hat/who' (see Unit 84D). Compare no- and any-:

* 'What do you want to eat?' 'Nothing. I'm not hungry.'

I'm so hungry. I could eat anything. (= it doesn't matter what)

* The exam was extremely difficult. Nobody passed. (= everybody failed)

The exam was very easy. Anybody could have passed. (= it doesn't matter who)

C. No and none

We use no + a noun. No = not a or not any:

* We had to walk home because there was no bus. (= there wasn't a bus)

* I can't talk to you now. I've got no time. (= I haven't got any time)

* There were no shops open. (= there weren't any shops open)

We use none alone (without a noun):

* 'How much money have you got?' 'None.' (= no money)

* All the tickets have been sold. There are none left. (= no tickets left)

Or we use none of...:

none of these shops none of my money none of it/them/us/you

After none of + a plural word ('none of the shops', 'none of them' etc.) you can use a singular or a plural verb. A plural verb is more usual:

* None of the shops were (or was) open.

D. After nobody/no one you can use they/them/their:

* Nobody phoned, did they? (= did he or she)

* The party was a disaster. Nobody enjoyed themselves. (= himself or herself)

* No one in the class did their homework. (= his or her homework)