Mailbag Monday: Is This Sentence Correct?

A reader asks, Is this sentence correct?

Anything is possible.

Yes, I know, your grammar teacher told you there are two situations when you use “any.”

1. If the sentence is negative. ex. I don’t like anything on the menu.
2. If the sentence is a question. ex. Do you want anything to eat?

You studied the rules.

You took a test.

You passed.

You went out into the real world.

And you heard sentences like:

“If you need anything, call me.”

“I’ll do anything for you.”

And “Anything is possible.”

Now you’re scratching your head, thinking, “What about the rules!?”

Well, English is like those teenagers you see in the center of your town.

The ones with purple hair and their pants pulled down below their butts.

They don’t really care so much about rules.

So what can I tell you?

Yes, you remembered the rules correctly.

But with English, anything is possible.

Cheers,
Mr. Vig