anyone does that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "anyone does that" is not correct in standard English.
It should be rephrased to "anyone who does that" or "if anyone does that" for clarity and grammatical accuracy. Example: "I don't understand why anyone who does that would think it's acceptable."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

"If anyone does that Connie Chung Justt between us' thing, don't talk," he teased her.

The New York Times

If anyone does, that will create a spot for him in what would be his ninth appearance in the P.G.A. Championship.

The New York Times

"Whenever anyone does that, it doesn't square with our vision of public morality, and on television we try to get underneath that, or reject it entirely".

The New York Times - Arts

When anyone does that then they're obviously unhappy with something.

Independent

The only people who will benefit from T-Mobile's contract-free plans are those who pay the full price of the phone up front immediately instead of over the two years, he said, but hardly anyone does that.

The New York Times - Tech

"Generally speaking, if anyone does that with a paper like the Daily Mail, however much they may go on about freedom of speech, no one is allowed the freedom of speech to question the Daily Mail.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Why would anyone do that?

The Guardian - Music

They've never had anyone do that.

The New Yorker

Why on earth would anyone do that?

The Economist

Never saw anyone do that before Hank".

The New York Times - Sports

But does anyone do that?

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In informal speech, ensure the context makes the intended meaning clear, even if the grammar is slightly relaxed.

Common error

A common mistake is omitting the relative pronoun "who" after "anyone". Always include "who" to create a grammatically correct relative clause: "anyone who does that".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "anyone does that" typically functions as an elliptical clause where the relative pronoun "who" or the conjunction "if" is omitted. As Ludwig AI points out, this omission makes the phrase grammatically questionable in formal contexts, but understandable in informal speech.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

27%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

6%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "anyone does that" is used, it's often grammatically incomplete, as Ludwig AI highlights. For formal writing and professional communication, it's best to use phrases like "anyone who does that" or "if anyone does that". The contexts in which this phrase appears most frequently are news and media, but its informal nature means it's less appropriate for academic or business settings. Always consider your audience and the level of formality required when choosing between "anyone does that" and its more grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if someone acts that way

Replaces "anyone" with "someone" and adds "if" to create a conditional clause focusing on the action.

when someone behaves like that

Substitutes "does" with "behaves" to emphasize the manner of action and introduces a temporal element with "when".

if anybody does such a thing

Uses "anybody" as a synonym for "anyone" and replaces "that" with "such a thing" to highlight the nature of the action.

should someone proceed in that manner

Presents a more formal and hypothetical scenario, replacing "does" with "proceed" and "that" with "that manner".

when somebody conducts themselves in that fashion

Emphasizes the conduct and formality of the behavior, using "somebody" and "that fashion".

in the event that someone carries out that action

Uses a more formal and specific vocabulary to describe the action being performed.

if any individual acts in that way

Substitutes "anyone" with "any individual" and emphasizes the manner of acting.

when a person performs that task

Replaces "anyone" with "a person" and "does" with "performs", focusing on the completion of a specific task.

if a person undertakes that activity

Uses "undertakes" to convey the initiation of a specific activity, highlighting a more deliberate action.

when an individual engages in that kind of behavior

Focuses on the type of behavior, using "engages in" to describe involvement and adding "kind of" for specification.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "anyone does that" in a sentence?

While grammatically questionable, to use it correctly, ensure the context is informal. For formal contexts, it’s better to say "anyone who does that" or "if anyone does that".

What's a more formal way to say "anyone does that"?

A more formal alternative would be "anyone who does that". This adds the necessary relative pronoun for grammatical accuracy.

Is it wrong to say "anyone does that"?

According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incorrect in formal writing. However, it might be acceptable in very informal or conversational settings if the meaning is clear.

What can I say instead of "anyone does that" to sound more professional?

To sound more professional, use "anyone who does that" or "if anyone does that". These options provide grammatical clarity and formality.