7

I found on a research paper the following statement:

Is any particular images satisfying the requirements ?

I thought any can only be used with singular terms. So I was surprised when I've seen "images" rather than "image".

Am I correct?

RegDwigнt
  • 97,231
aneuryzm
  • 579

2 Answers2

9

I would take that to be a typo. The verb should agree with the noun:

  • Is any particular image satisfying the requirements?
  • Are any particular images satisfying the requirements?

Any can be safely used in both cases. Have a look at these example sentences from Wiktionary:

  • Choose any items you want. [items — plural]
  • Any person may apply. [person — singular]
  • I haven't got any money. [money — uncountable]

Merriam-Webster defines any as follows:

  1. one or some indiscriminately of whatever kind [...]
  2. one, some, or all indiscriminately of whatever quantity [...]

Emphasis mine.

Lastly, note psmears' comment that it might be more appropriate to use present simple rather than present continuous in your case (though further context might justify either). I will also add that there should be no space before the question mark.

Community
  • 1
RegDwigнt
  • 97,231
  • 4
    Note that the sentences here, though correct, are unusual: it's far more common to say Does any particular image satisfy the requirements?, which has a slightly different meaning - but without more context it's impossible to know which is appropriate... – psmears Apr 16 '11 at 10:25
  • +1: Not bad for an NNS. @psmears, I'm sure @RegDwight is confining his answer to the actual question at hand, not giving supererogatory lessons in writing. – Robusto Apr 16 '11 at 10:43
  • 2
    @Robusto: Yes, I know that RegDwight is well aware of what I'm saying :-p I'm just pointing it out for the benefit of others who might otherwise misinterpret "This is grammatically correct" as "This is what you actually want to say/write" :) – psmears Apr 16 '11 at 11:13
  • I was going to add the same comment, @psmears. Definitely worth pointing out given that people come here for Everyday Usage assistance. @Robusto, what is 'NNS', by the way? – Karl Apr 16 '11 at 12:17
  • @Karl: NNS = Non-native speaker. I kid @RegDwight because English is his third language, even though his use of it is about 99.999% perfect. – Robusto Apr 16 '11 at 12:24
  • 2
    @Karl and psmears: I've updated the answer accordingly. @Robusto: you misspelled "9.9999% perfect". – RegDwigнt Apr 16 '11 at 12:43
  • Ah, thanks for that, @Robusto. I was overthinking forum/internet speak. Also, wouldn't have guessed that it was a 3rd language! – Karl Apr 16 '11 at 12:55
  • 1
    @RegDwight: Just the sort of misperception I expect from the NNS contingent here. – Robusto Apr 16 '11 at 12:58
  • @psmears and RegDwigнt Why is it more appropriate to use present simple rather than present continuous in this case? I am puzzled. – user239460 Jun 27 '17 at 05:46
  • 1
    @user239460: Because, in general, whether specific images "satisfy requirements" is either true or false - it doesn't tend to change over time - so we use the present simple as it's a generalisation or habit (cf. "I like cats", or "I go to the beach every day"). Present continous would imply that something special was happening right now that wasn't necessarily true at other times (cf "I am going to the beach"). – psmears Jun 27 '17 at 06:27
  • @psmears It makes sense, thanks, do you mean that using present continous would imply that the images might not satisfy the requirements at other time? – user239460 Jun 27 '17 at 06:51
  • @user239460: It's more that present continuous would imply that the images are somehow doing something, right now, to satisfy the requirements. – psmears Jun 27 '17 at 07:42
  • @psmears Images themselves can't perform, right? I think I got that now, thanks. – user239460 Jun 27 '17 at 11:32
  • 1
    @user239460: Only in a metaphorical sense - which is why that usage is very unusual :-) No problem! – psmears Jun 27 '17 at 12:37
0

Is one out of all particular images satisfying the requirements would exactly be what any means.

user230919
  • 33