What some expresses
Use some when a quantity exists but its exact number or amount is not stated: the speaker does not know it or it is unimportant. Depending on context, it indicates an unspecified number of things or an unspecified amount of something.
Some does not name a fixed number. It only indicates a limited quantity in a particular situation.
I have some questions.
I have some questions.
There are questions, but their exact number is not stated.
There is some water in the bottle.
There is some water in the bottle.
A quantity of water is meant, not an exact volume.
Countable nouns: use the plural
If objects can be counted separately, use a plural noun after some in this meaning: some books, some chairs, some apples.
For a single countable object, a or an is usually needed: a book, an apple. Stressed some with a single object has another meaning and is outside this rule.
some + plural countable noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
We bought some apples.
We bought some apples.
Apples is a plural countable noun.
There are some clean cups in the kitchen.
There are some clean cups in the kitchen.
Some comes before the adjective and plural noun cups.
Uncountable nouns: a form without a plural ending
With substances and other uncountable concepts, some precedes a form without a plural ending: some milk, some rice, some information, some advice.
In this meaning, these nouns do not combine with a or an and do not take the ordinary plural ending.
some + uncountable noun
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
She needs some information.
She needs some information.
Information is uncountable, so informations is not a form used here.
We have some rice for dinner.
We have some rice for dinner.
Rice names a substance, so it remains without a plural ending after some.
The position of some in a phrase
Some precedes the noun. If the noun has an adjective, place some before that adjective: some fresh bread, some new colleagues.
Do not add the article a or an before some. Some itself occupies the determiner position in this simple phrase.
subject + verb + some + adjective + noun
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- adjective —
- A word describing what someone or something is like: happy, tired, interesting.
They brought some fresh bread.
They brought some fresh bread.
Some precedes fresh and bread.
I know some friendly people here.
I know some friendly people here.
The order is some + friendly + people.
A specific quantity versus general reference
Some is used when the speaker means a limited quantity in a particular situation. If the exact number matters, state it: three tickets, two bottles.
When speaking about an entire class of things in general, some is often unnecessary: Cats are popular pets. Some cats are in the garden instead refers to a subset of cats in a specific situation.
I need some tickets for tonight.
I need some tickets for tonight.
The situation limits the number of tickets, but no exact number is stated.
Dogs need water.
Dogs need water.
This is a general statement about dogs and water, so some is unnecessary.
The boundary with any and other uses of some
In the basic neutral contrast, some is most common in affirmative statements, and any in negatives and open questions. I have some bread therefore fits this rule.
This is not an absolute ban on other patterns. Some can occur in offers, requests and questions expecting “yes”, while any can mean “whichever one”. Those meanings belong to related rules and are not treated as errors here.
We have some time before the train.
We have some time before the train.
An affirmative statement about an unspecified amount of time.
Would you like some tea?
Would you like some tea?
This grammatical offer question is a separate use of some, not an error.
Building your own message
First decide whether the message is affirmative and refers to an unspecified quantity. Then identify the noun type: plural for a countable noun, or the unchanged form for an uncountable noun.
Then put some immediately before the noun or its adjective. Check agreement: there is with an uncountable noun and there are with a plural.
There are some boxes by the door.
There are some boxes by the door.
Boxes is plural, so the construction uses there are.
There is some coffee in the kitchen.
There is some coffee in the kitchen.
Coffee is uncountable, so there is is used.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:We need some informations.
Correct:We need some information.
Information is uncountable in this meaning and has no plural form.
Incorrect:There is some oranges in the bag.
Correct:There are some oranges in the bag.
Oranges is plural, so the construction requires there are.
Incorrect:I bought a some bread.
Correct:I bought some bread.
Do not place the article a before some; some already determines the quantity.
Incorrect:She has some new furnitures.
Correct:She has some new furniture.
Furniture is uncountable, so a plural ending is incorrect here.
Incorrect:There are some milk in the fridge.
Correct:There is some milk in the fridge.
Milk is uncountable, so use there is in the construction.