The Editor’s Manual
Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.
Use “both” to refer to two people or things. “Both” and “both of” can sometimes be used interchangeably, but not always. Use parallel structure with “both–and.” No commas are needed around “both.”
“No” is more emphatic than “not any” and is used more often in formal contexts. “A/an” instead of “any” is used with singular countable nouns in negative statements. “Not a” and “no” are not interchangeable.
“Some” and “any” both indicate quantity and are used in questions, statements, and conditionals, where they convey different points of view, assumptions, and expectations.