DETERMINERS

Determiners modify nouns by setting a limitation over the nouns to indicate how
specific or general they are. A determiner usually appears at the beginning of the noun
phrases and works as an adjective to modify the nouns. However, determiners are not
necessary for every noun phrase.

KINDS OF DETERMINERS

ARTICLES INTERROGATIVE DEMONSTRATIVES DISTRIBUTIVES POSSESSIVES QUANTIFIERS

a what this all my some

an which that each your any

the whose these every our much

why those both his many

where neither her little

when either its few

other their less

another

enough

most

several

one, two etc.

first, second
etc.
  QUANTIFIERS - Few- relates to number.

Few cars, a few cars, the few cars

Few used without 'a' and 'the' signifies none or hardly any.
e.g., There are few cars in the parking lot. (It implies there is no car or hardly any car in the parking
lot.)
There are a few cars in the parking lot. (It implies that there are some cars in the parking lot.)
The few cars which are in the parking lot are white. (It implies that all the cars though less in
number, in the parking lot are white.)

 Many, each, either, several, both, neither, every, are also used with countable nouns.
All numbers such as one, two, three..........etc.
The following are used with uncountable nouns :
Use of Little, a little, the little,
There is little water in the bucket. (meaning no water or hardly
any)
There is a little water in the bucket. (meaning 'less')
The little water in the bucket is dirty. (meaning the water in the bucket is less but all the water in it is
dirty.)
 Much, a bit of and a great deal of, are also used with uncountable nouns.
The following determiners can be used for both countable and uncountable nouns :
All, some, much, more, a lot of, enough, no, any, most, lots of, less.
Use of 'some' and 'any'
'Some' is used to denote ' a little or less'.

e.g., There is some water in the bucket.

I have some money in my pocket.
'Any' is used in the negative sense with 'no' and 'not'.
I do not have any money in my pocket.
He doesn't have any friends.
 There are some rules for using determiners and quantifiers. Some of them can be
used only with countable nouns and some of them with uncountable nouns while
others can be used with either of them. Here is a chart for the determiners to be
used with countable or uncountable nouns.
With Countable Nouns With Uncountable Nouns
a/an,the the
This,that,these,those this, that
none, one, two, three…. none
many much (in negatives or questions)
a (great/large) number of a large amount of
a few a little
few little
fewer …. than less…… than
a lot of a lot of
some some
any any

 ARTICLES
USE OF 'A', 'AN AND ‘THE’
'a' signifies one and is used in front of 'consonants'.
'An' signifies one but is used in front of vowel sounds. Such as:

'A' as the sound of 'a' in apple, 'e' as the sound of 'e' in egg,'' as the sound of 'i' in ink, 'o' as
the sound of 'o' in orange, 'u' as the sound of 'u' in umbrella.
An apple, an egg, an engine, an Indian, an umbrella, an orange, an oak tree,

Notice that ,
It is a European' because the sound is of 'yu' and not that of 'e' as in egg.
It is 'a university' because the sound is of 'y' and not that of 'u' as in 'umbrella'.
Thus for the use of a, an, the vowel sound should be kept in mind.
'The' is 'Definite article'. It is used in front of a noun when the listener/ reader knows what he
is actually referring to because there is only one.
The book which I am reading is very interesting.
 POSSESSIVES
My, your, his, her, our, their ,its , whose
Examples:
My car is parked outside.
His house is near the bridge.
 DEMONSTRATIVES
This, that, these, those
Examples:
This is my book.
Those are my pens.
That house belongs to me.
Those boys are in the team.

 INTERROGATIVES
Examples:
Which car do you want to buy?
What product do you use?
Where are you going?
 DISTRIBUTIVES
Examples
Each of the children received a present.
He barely had enough to eat.
Either one deserves to win.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Answers

BEFORE MISSING WORD AFTER

many a traveller

sunshine its buildings

are many beautiful

of its buildings
 ERROR CORRECTION

a) a the

b) last First

c) much many

d) more most
Answers:

(a) (iii)other
(b) (i) some
(c) (iii) the
(d) (i) a
(e) (iii) the
(f) (iii) the
Answers:

ERROR CORRECTION
those these

an the

the a

this these

much many

our their