Page 143 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

N o , n o n e ( o f ) , a n d n o t a n y

Study how we use no and none in these sentences:

no + noun • She had no shoes on.
• No information was given about how the study was conducted.
• There's no train until tomorrow.
none + 'no noun' • Have we got any more sugar? There's none in the kitchen.
• 'How many children have you got?' 'None.'

We use no or none (of) instead of not a or not any to emphasise the negative idea in a sentence.
Compare:
• There isn't a key for this door. or • There's no key for this door, (more emphatic)
• She didn't give me any help at all. or • She gave me no help at all.
• Sorry, there isn't any left. or • Sorry, there's none left.
• She didn't have any of the typical symptoms of cholera. or
• She had none of the typical symptoms of cholera.
Notice that we can't use not any in initial position in a clause or sentence:
• No force was needed to make them move, (not Not any force was needed...)
• None of the children was/were awake, (not Not any of the children...)
We often prefer no and none of rather than not any or ...n't any in formal written English.
In a formal or literary style we can use not a in initial
position in a clause or sentence (notice the word
order here; see Unit 120):
• Not a word would she say about the robbery.
• Not a sound came from the classroom.

After no, we use a singular noun in situations where we would expect one of something, and a
plural noun where we would expect more than one. Compare:
• Since his resignation, the team has had no manager, (rather than ...had no managers.)
• I phoned Sarah at home, but there was no answer, (rather than ...were no answers.)
• There were no biscuits left, (rather than ...was no biscuit left.)
• He seems very lonely at school, and has no friends, (rather than ...no friend.)
But sometimes we can use either a singular or plural noun with little difference in meaning:
• No answer (or answers) could be found.
• We want to go to the island but there's no boat (or there are no boats) to take us.
When we use none of with a plural noun the verb can be either singular or plural, although the
singular form is usually more formal:
• None of the parcels have arrived yet. (or ...has arrived...)
However, when we use none with an uncountable noun the verb must be singular.

If we want to give special emphasis to no or none of we can use phrases like no amount of with
uncountable nouns and not one (of) with singular countable nouns:
• She was so seriously ill that no amount of expensive treatment could cure her.
• It was clear that no amount of negotiation would bring the employers and workers closer
together.
• Not one member of the History department attended the meeting.
• Not one of the hundreds of families affected by the noise wants to move.
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