Question 399 - Should ‘s’ be added after ‘any’ and ‘no’Question 398 - Difference between ‘take the cake’ and ‘take the biscuit’Question 397 - Simpler English for instructionsQuestion 396 - Meaning and usage of ‘cagey’Question 395 - Different uses of ‘flash’Question 394 - Difference between ‘popular’ and ‘common’Question 393 - Using ‘take’ Question 392 - Using ‘for’ to talk about workQuestion 391 - Using ‘ness’ at the end of wordsQuestion 390 - ‘What you can do’ and ‘The best thing is’Question 389 - Making nouns by adding ‘ness’ to adjectivesQuestion 388 - Are ‘noodles’ countable or uncountableQuestion 387 - Difference between alliteration and assonanceQuestion 386 - Difference between ‘at quarter past five’ and ‘a quarter past five’Question 385 - Using ‘through’ with ‘climb’Question 384 - How to describe a person who is shy at firstQuestion 383 - Adjective patternsQuestion 382 - Most common words in EnglishQuestion 381 - ‘in the east’ or ‘on the east’Question 380 - Verb with ‘calligraphy’Question 379 - Verbs which are not passiveQuestion 378 - Singular or plural nounsQuestion 377 - Difference between ‘I love singing’ and ‘I love to sing’ Question 376 - Using ‘This is the day when…’ & singular or pluralQuestion 375 - Difference between ‘study’ and ‘learn’Question 374 - Difference between ‘hard’ and ‘hardly’Question 373 - How to say ‘Chok樣’ and ‘公主病’ in English?Question 372 - Present or past perfect tenseQuestion 371 - How to learn English well?Question 370 - How to say ‘Seck faan!’ (食飯) in English?Question 369 - Placing ‘either … or’ in a sentence & split infinitivesQuestion 368 - Chinese New Year greetingsQuestion 367 - Nouns like ‘the poor’ and ‘the suffering’Question 366 - Difference between ‘breath’ and breathe’Question 365 - ‘Must’ in the past tenseQuestion 364 - How to write better?Question 363 - Difference between a biography and an autobiographyQuestion 362 - Difference between ‘Have you been to Japan?’ and ‘Have you ever been to Japan?’Question 361 - Where to add ‘s’ in compound nouns like ‘twenty-cent coin’?Question 360 - Can a comma come after a ‘.’, such as ‘Ltd.,’?Question 359 - Difference between ‘hung’ and ‘hanged’Question 358 - Are answers to questions complete sentences?Question 357 - Difference between ‘bring’ and ‘take’Question 356 - Starting questions with ‘Do, Is, Am, Are’Question 355 - Do you need to add ‘that’ after ‘please note’?Question 354 - Is ‘food’ countable or uncountable?Question 353 - Quotation marks with direct speechQuestion 352 - Talking about two people being differentQuestion 351 - Difference between ‘win’ and ‘beat’Question 350 - Meaning of ‘couldn’t care less’Question 349 - Meaning of ‘brainchild’Question 348 - Difference between ‘got’ and ‘gotten’Question 347 - Difference between ‘varied’ and ‘various’Question 346 - Difference between ‘officer’ and ‘official’Question 345 - Meaning and usage of ‘kinda’ and ‘sorta’Question 344 - What do ‘R.S.V.P’ and ‘stand for’ mean?Question 343 - Nicknames & stage namesQuestion 342 - What is a surname and middle name in English?Question 341 - Reported speech with ‘if’ sentencesQuestion 340 - When should I use ‘Music’ and ‘Art’ or ‘music’ and ‘art’?Question 339 - Difference between 'drunk' and 'drunken'Question 338 - Difference between ‘approve’ and ‘endorse’Question 337 - Difference between ‘guidance’, 'guideline' and ‘rule’Question 336 - Difference between ‘win’ and ‘beat’Question 335 - Is lettuce countable or uncountable? Question 334 - Difference between ‘fun’ and ‘funny’Question 333 - Lucky numbersQuestion 332 - How to pronounce ‘g’?Question 331 - Difference between ‘bottom’ and ‘buttocks’Question 330 - US or British EnglishQuestion 329 - Using the past tense or present perfect tenseQuestion 328 - Pronouncing countriesQuestion 327 - Choosing ‘do’ or ‘does’Question 326 - Using ‘tomorrow’ and ‘take charge’ & reported speech websitesQuestion 325 - Difference between proper nouns and common nounsQuestion 324 - How to use 'I' or 'me' in the sentence?Question 323 - Meaning of ‘Man's Extremity Is God's Opportunity’Question 322 - How to say 'add oil' ["加油"] in English?Question 321 - Meaning of ‘cold snap’Question 320 - Using ‘confirm’ in sentencesQuestion 319 - Difference between ‘slice’ & ‘piece’ and ‘bag’ and ‘packet’Question 318 - Footwear (wellington boots and galoshes) Question 317 - Using 'is' or 'are'Question 316 - How do you say ‘2010’?Question 315 - Using ‘suggest’Question 314 - Which is correct'in summer' or 'in the summer'?Question 313 - Difference between ‘talk to’ and ‘talk with’Question 312 - A bonusQuestion 311 - Shorter news articlesQuestion 310 - Difference between ‘artist’ and ‘asrtiste’Question 309 - using ‘is’ or ‘are’ with favouriteQuestion 308 - Difference between ‘sport’ and ‘sports’Question 307 - line up / queue up / jump the queueQuestion 306 - ‘a’ or ‘an’ before ‘one’ Question 305 - Soft drinkQuestion 304 - Difference between ‘raise’ and ‘increase’Question 303 - Difference between ‘evaluation’ and ‘assessment’ Question 302 - Teaching English through pop songsQuestion 301 - Meaning of ‘down to earth’Question 300 - Ask Graham reviewQuestion 299 - Football vocabularyQuestion 298 - Finding out how words are usedQuestion 297 - Other ways to say that someone is richQuestion 296 - Meaning of ‘wind up’Question 295 - Most common first namesQuestion 294 - Using ‘long time no see’ and ‘no can do’Question 293 - Types of doctorsQuestion 292 - Correct use of ‘matter’Question 291 - Answering questions in oral examsQuestion 290 - Using ‘glue’ to talk about peopleQuestion 289 - A letter to say you are leaving a schoolQuestion 288 - Why do we use ‘swine’ to talk about pigs?Question 287 - Difference between using ‘when’ and ‘that’ in relative clausesQuestion 286 - Difference between ‘tall’ and ‘high’Question 285 - Talking about future monthsQuestion 284 - Answering Yes/No questionsQuestion 283 - Two common questionsQuestion 282 - Talking about the Hong Kong dollarQuestion 281 - Learn everyday objects vocabulary, such as stationery and household itemsQuestion 280 - Difference between joining and taking classesQuestion 279 - Listening to native speakers from different countriesQuestion 278 - Difference between ‘lie down’ and ‘lay down’Question 277 - Meaning of ‘a slap on the wrist’ and ‘drive someone up the wall’Question 276 - ‘Thanks a lot’ can have a negative meaningQuestion 275 - How to start letters and emailsQuestion 274 - Difference between ‘ability’ and ‘capability’Question 273 - Difference between ‘set off for’ and ‘set off to’Question 272 - Difference between often, usually and always & more adverbs of frequencyQuestion 271 - Difference between ‘you are rude’ and ‘you are being rude’ Question 270 - Using the past tense to talk about factsQuestion 269 - Difference between ‘fade out’ and ‘fade away’Question 268 - Difference between 'log in' and 'log on'Question 267 - How to be a champion at the English Speech FestivalQuestion 266 - Time differences around the worldQuestion 265 - Difference between ‘fill’ and ‘fill up’Question 264 - Using ‘me’ or ‘to me’Question 263 - Difference between ‘compared with’ and ‘comparing with’Question 262 - Talking about pursuitsQuestion 261 - Answering questionsQuestion 260 - Difference between ‘avoid’ and ‘prevent’Question 259 -‘friendlier’ or ‘more friendly’Question 258 - Using ‘like’ in questionsQuestion 257 - Examples of present and past perfect tensesQuestion 256 - ‘in’ the team or ‘on’ the teamQuestion 255 - Using ‘kind of’ in the middle of sentencesQuestion 254 - How to make novels like ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ interesting for students Question 253 - Adding the possessive 's to names ending in ‘s’Question 252 - Talking about eldest children Question 251 - Singular or plural when talking about two thingsQuestion 250 - Meaning of ‘soft touch’Question 249 - Waiting listQuestion 248 - Asking and answering questionsQuestion 247 - What do school prefects wear?Question 246 - Difference between ‘on’ and ‘onto’Question 245 - How to become an English teacherQuestion244 - Learning ‘Exciting’ EnglishQuestion 243 -- Difference between ‘internal’ and ‘interior’Question 242 -- Preposition before Father's DayQuestion 241 -- Difference between ‘Chinese’ and ‘China’s’Question 244 -- Meaning of 'part company' and 'leave with your head held high'Question 239 --Using 'common'Question 238 -- Talking about strengths and weaknesses in interviewsQuestion 237 -- Difference between 'borrow' and 'lend'Question 236 -- Meaning & use of 'blinking idiot', 'good-for-nothing', 'stupid dummy' and 'catch him off guard'Question 235 -- Verb tense with 'first' and 'second' & 'take' or 'have'Question 234 -- Meaning of 'close of play' and 'meant to be'Question 233 -- Difference between a nation and a country & What is Tibet? Question 232 -- Using online dictionaries to find 'get on' 'get off'Question 231 -- Using 'a' or 'an'Question 230 -- Meaning of 'All Time High'Question 229 -- Meaning of 'fed up' and 'credit crunch'Question 228 -- Using 'he' or 'him'Question 227 -- Prepositions with 'playground'Question 226 -- How can I improve my writing?Question 225 -- Ending a letter or emailQuestion 224 -- Difference between 'classic' and 'classical'Question 223 -- Are 'could have done' and 'would have done' in the past perfect tense?Question 222 -- Difference between a rat and a mouseQuestion 221 -- Using "I'd"Question 220 -- Meaning of 'act up' and 'music to my ears'Question 219 -- Difference between 'to me'and 'for me'Question 218 -- Difference between 'national' and 'nationwide'Question 217 -- Using 'the' to talk about musical instrumentsQuestion 216 -- Using 'milk' to talk about making the most of a situationQuestion 215 -- Meaning of YuletideQuestion 214 -- Job titles (when to add 's' and 'al') Question 213 -- Difference between 'equipment' and 'facilities'Question 212 -- 'On/In the morning' & 'on/in time'Question 211 -- Meaning of 'on the cards'Question 210 -- Some prepositions of place and movementQuestion 209 -- The usage of 'different' and 'somehow'Question 208 -- Using 'kind of' and 'kinds of'Question 207 -- Difference between 'fun' and 'interesting'. Overuse of these words. Question 206 -- Meaning of 'let's play it by ear'Question 205 -- The difference between a job and a careerQuestion 204 -- 'in a train' or 'on a train'Question 203 -- Difference between 'when' and 'while'Question 202 -- Using the present continuous (e.g. it is starting) to talk about the futureQuestion 201 -- Difference between 'in a moment' and 'at the moment'Question 200 -- How to improve your EnglishQuestion 199 -- Saying you are Chinese (talking about nationality) Question 198 -- Difference between 'high' and 'highly'Question 197 -- Different ways to talk about coffeeQuestion 196 -- Using 'suffer'Question 195 -- Talking about checking something Question 194 -- Difference between 'UFO' & 'alien' and the meaning of 'treadmill' Question 193 -- Using 'spilt', 'ruin', 'stain' & 'spoil'Question 192 -- 'Lunchtime' or 'lunch time'Question 191 -- Difference between 'beggar' and 'busker'Question 190 -- Answering 'Why...?' questions with 'because'Question 189 -- Using 'footballers', 'going' and 'posters'Question 188 -- The HKCEE oral examQuestion 187 -- Talking about 'expensive' items and high pricesQuestion 186 -- Using 'home town' to talk about your parents' village in EnglishQuestion 185 -- Meaning and use of 'granted'Question 184 -- Using 'is' or 'are' with two objectsQuestion 183 -- The difference between 'dead' and 'died'Question 182 -- The difference between 'concern for' and 'concern with'Question 181 -- Difference between under & underneath and at home & in homeQuestion 180 -- Idioms with 'pay'Question 179 -- Pronouncing foreign words, such as ballet and cafeQuestion 178 -- Meaning of 'in bulk'Question 177 -- Different types of datesQuestion 176 -- Making plural nouns from words ending in 'y' (e.g. studies, monkeys)Question 175 -- Using 'discuss' and 'talk about'Question 174 -- Countable nouns such as 'reductions'Question 173 -- Meaning of 'Year of the Boar' and Chinese New Year in SingaporeQuestion 172 -- Using 'awaiting', 'longing for' and 'dying for' in writingQuestion 171 -- Saying 'put the desk and chairs back in their original place' informallyQuestion 170 -- Meaning of 'in for trouble' and 'way off'Question 169 -- Difference between 'model' and 'modelling'Question 168 -- Difference between fare, fee, bill, charge, cost, price & expensesQuestion 167 - Overused words in Hong Kong - moreover & phenomenonQuestion 166 -- Talking with native speakersQuestion 165 -- Meaning of 'flirt' and 'peck on the cheek'Question 164 -- Grammar and song lyricsQuestion 163 -- Online listening materials at English CampusQuestion 162 -- Describing hair loss in menQuestion 161 -- Meanings of 'See you around' and 'a bit of alright'Question 160 -- Different ways to show happiness for someoneQuestion 159 -- Describing pregnant womenQuestion 158 -- Usage of ‘Messrs’ in business lettersQuestion 157 -- Participating in solo verse speaking competitionsQuestion 156 -- Meaning of 'let me know how you get on' and 'Rome wasn't built in a day'Question 155 -- Prepositions before 'Sports Day' & dozen/dozensQuestion 154 -- Plural forms of animalsQuestion 153 -- Proper nounsQuestion 152 -- Using 'the' before place namesQuestion 151 -- Writing business e-mailsQuestion 150 -- Using the singular or plural form after collective nounsQuestion 149 -- Phrasal verbs often used in schoolQuestion 148 -- Difference between 'practice' and 'practise'Question 147 -- Difference between 'inform' & 'notify', 'level' & 'floor', 'buy' & 'purchase' and 'race', 'competition' & 'contest'Question 146 -- Omitting repeated words in sentencesQuestion 145 -- Avoid using 'I' in business writingQuestion 144 -- Talking about the weatherQuestion 143 -- Using 'good' and 'goodness' as nounsQuestion 142 -- Chat rooms for learning EnglishQuestion 141 -- The difference between anyone & anybody, everyone & everybody, no one & nobody, someone & somebodyQuestion 140 -- Idioms to describe talented peopleQuestion 139 -- Verbs that are not used in passive voiceQuestion 138 -- Level Playing FieldQuestion 137 -- The impersonal 'it'Question 136 -- When to follow verbs with gerunds and 'to infinitive' verbs Part 2Question 135 -- When to follow verbs with gerunds and 'to infinitive' verbsQuestion 134 -- How to use 'the following'Question 133 -- The difference between 'different' and 'differing'Question 132 -- Our NET translates a Chinese saying and explains the meaning of 'We have had words'Question 131 -- Two new idioms ('milk something' and 'fall just short')Question 130 -- How to use 'born'Question 129 -- The difference between 'under' and 'underneath'Question 128 -- The difference between 'there will be' and 'it will be'Question 127 -- The difference between 'talk to' and 'talk with'Question 126 -- The difference between 'prior' and 'previous'Question 125 -- Can we say 'Long time no see' in English?Question 124 -- English idioms about 'rat'Question 123 -- Seven phrasesQuestion 122 -- Free Websites for listening to English MusicQuestion 121 -- Uses of 'some' and 'as of'Question 120 -- Advice on Doing Comprehension ExercisesQuestion 119 - Others ways to say that you hate somethingQuestion 118 -- verbs followed by 'to + ing verbs'Question 117 -- Common English MistakesQuestion 116 -- 'In time' and 'On time'Question 115 -- 'Better you than me' and 'Do tell'Question 114 -- 'Play' and 'Play with'Question 113 -- Passive Voice Verb TensesQuestion 112 - Medicine and MedicationQuestion 111 - Others ways to say that you are angryQuestion 110 - "Cost"Question 109 - Big and LargeQuestion 108 - A Chinese IdiomQuestion 107 - The difference between "quick" and "fast"Question 106 - If you think your child's teacher made a mistakeQuestion 105 - Six idioms with "off"Question 104 - Helping your child speak EnglishQuestion 103 - How to use "would have had"Question 102 - "at" or "on" before a phone number?Question 101 - "you're dead meat", "back me up" and "call it a day"Question 100 - If he was the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, how would English be taught?Question 99 - "Suit", "match" and "goes with"Question 98 - 'state of being' or 'linking' verbsQuestion 97 - New School YearQuestion 96 - The goods will arrive in HK.Question 95 - Spot on, bottle out, gimmeQuestion 94 - Choose a good English nameQuestion 93 - WildQuestion 92 - 'believe' and 'believe in'Question 91 - 'sure' and 'ensure'Question 90 - Thank you for having meQuestion 89 - 'is' and 'being'Question 88 - A good sportQuestion 87 - Wear your heart on your sleeveQuestion 86 - Getting on my nervesQuestion 85 - From out of nowhereQuestion 84 - May God's peace be with you.Question 83 - How can I improve my English?Question 82 - Inquire and EnquireQuestion 81 - Math or Maths?Question 80 - Learn good English in Canada?Question 79 - A Letter to William Hung's FansQuestion 78 - What's up dude?Question 77 - A Grammar WebsiteQuestion 76 - Past Tense and Present Perfect TenseQuestion 75 - Success & SucceedQuestion 74 - through and acrossQuestion 73 - Making FriendsQuestion 72 - Pass the dictationQuestion 71 - Favourite QuestionQuestion 70 - Having "egg on your face"Question 69 - Touch onQuestion 68 - 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"No can do."Question 35 - American SlangQuestion 34 - and & as well asQuestion 33 - I returned from England.Question 32 - Speak English like foreignersQuestion 31 - Dude & GeekQuestion 30 - I can't hear clearlyQuestion 29 - Clauses & PhrasesQuestion 28 - "not remember"Question 27 - On the one handQuestion 26 - Grammatical mistakesQuestion 25 - Arrive on the landQuestion 24 - RespectivelyQuestion 23 - Props, Lizzie.Question 22 - 12 o'clockQuestion 21 - See, Watch & ReadQuestion 20 - Talk of the devilQuestion 19 - Intransitive verbs & transitive verbs Question 18 - On assignmentQuestion 17 - RightQuestion 16 - Really urgent!Question 15 - Native speakers & English subtitlesQuestion 14 - ChickenQuestion 13 - Subtitles & ListeningQuestion 12 - Be a better teacherQuestion 11 - Improve my listeningQuestion 10 - Sports NewsQuestion 9 - Improve my pronunciationQuestion 8 - Improve my speakingQuestion 7 - Listening practiceQuestion 6 - SuggestQuestion 5 - Improve my EnglishQuestion 4 - He/She & TheyQuestion 3 - Improve language skillsQuestion 2 - English-learning websitesQuestion 1 - Advice to parents> Question 399 - Should ‘s’ be added after ‘any’ and ‘no’ Dear Graham I would like to know whether we should use singular or plural nouns after the words 'no' and 'any'. For example: a. I have no book in my bag.     OR I have no books in my bag. b. I don't have any pencil in my bag.     OR I don't have any pencils in my bag. Regards Alvina Dear Alvina, I’m sure you know that there are two types of nouns, countable (add ‘s’ for more than one) and uncountable (no 's' for more than one). For countable nouns, we add ‘s’ to nouns after ‘any’ and ‘no’. You are not talking about one book or pencil. You are talking about many. e.g.  1. I have no books in my bag.         2. There are no students playing basketball.         3. Are there no boys who want to learn to dance?         4. I don't have any pencils in my bag.         5. Are there any towels in the bathroom?         6. The police is looking for any witnesses to the accidents. Best wishes, Graham Headquarters | Resources Depository | Teacher Net | Parents' Corner | Library | Subject iWorld School Directory | Inclusive Village | Small Campus | English Campus | HKReading City | Text-only Index