Determiners

Determiners are the words that are used before nouns to determine or describe or modify their meaning. They  also called as fixing words as they fix  the number or quantity of  nouns

They can be classified into the following types:

1.Articles : A, an , the.

2. Demonstrative Adjectives : This, that, these, those.

3. Quantifiers :  used before noun to express  its amount or quantity.

Types of quantifiers are as follows:

  • Definite : One, two hundred,………., first, second, both etc.
  • Indefinite : Some, many , much , enough, few, a few, all, little, a little, several, most,  

3. Distributive : Each, every, all, either ,neither.

4. Comparative : More, less, fewer

5. Possessives : My, your, his, her, its, our, their, mine, hers, yours, ours, theirs, etc.

Articles : A, An, The

A and an –always used before singular nouns

The -  used before

  • singular countable nouns,
  • plural countable nouns
  • uncountable nouns.

Indefinite Articles: A/An

‘A’

  1. used before a noun beginning with a consonant sound.

e.g. 

  • a Man, 
  • a bench, 
  • a European country
    (Here     European, Man and university are words beginning with a consonant sound.)
  1.  

2. In the numerical sense of ‘one'

Ex. I bought a dozen mangoes.

  1.  

3. Used in the sense of every.

Ex. Ex. I earn twenty dollars a (every) month.

  1.  

4. Before Proper noun to make it common noun

Ex. Here  is a Daniel come to judgement

  1.  

5. Before a proper noun to imply that the person is a stranger to the speaker

Ex. A Mr. Gupta called when you were away.

‘An’ is used before a noun beginning with a vowel sound.

e.g.

 an orange, 

an egg, 

an hour

an umbrella

Here, orange, egg, elephant and hour and words beginning with a vowel sound)

Definite Article : The

‘The’ - used before singular countable nouns, plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Uses of ‘The’

1. particular person or thing with which Speaker or listener are already familiar

e.g. The book you want is not available.

Here

About a particular book has been mentioned about which the speaker and listener are already familiar.

2. the whole class of livings or non livings

e.g. The dog is a faithful animal.

3. With superlative degrees.
e.g. This is the best way to present a speech.

4. Ordinal numbers

e.g., He was the first man whom I could believe.

5. Proper adjectives

 e.g., The chinese government is a centralized democratic Republic.

The Indian languages are established from Devanagari lipi.

6. Before a proper noun, when it is qualified by an adjective or a defining adjectival clause.
e.g. The Great Ashoka

, the King of Rome
The Mr Verma whom you met last night is boss.

7. Before an adjective when the noun is understood.
e.g. The rich always exploit the poor. (Here the word ‘people’ is understood.)

8.  Proper names of

  1. Oceans and seas

e.g., The Indian Ocean

The Mediterranean Sea

  1. Rivers, Canals, Desert

 e.g., The Nile,

The Amazon

The Suez Canal
The Sahara Desert

  1.  Group of Islands

 e.g.,

the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

  1.  Mountain ranges

e.g., the Alps,  the Himalayas, 

  1.   names of countries, including words like States, Republic or Kingdom

e.g., the United Kingdom,

the USA,

the Republic of  Ireland

  1. Before the names of religious books., newspaper or magazine  

e.g. the Vedas, The Hindustan times etc.

  1.  the names of heavenly or unique objects of universe

e.g., the Sun, the Moon, 

the Pacific Ocean.

  1.  Before names of musical  instruments.
    e.g.     He can play the guitar very well.

Omission of Article ‘The’

I. Before material, abstract and proper nouns used in a general sense.

e.g.

a) Necessity is the mother of invention. (not The necessity …….)
b) Mercury  can be found in their liquid state at standard temperature 

. (not The mercury…….)
c)  China has the communist ruling  party  . (not The China……)

II. Before commom noun used in a widest sense.
e.g. Man is a social animal.

Woman is given second level in patriorachy .

III. names of people, meals, country, continent.
e.g. Rohit is my friend

Australia is the smallest continent.

I like to walk after dinner

IV. When noun is preceded by

    Possessive, distributive or demonstrative adjectives.

e.g. Every man supported him.

This house is very creepy.

I have lost my bag.

V. Before names of individual mountains.
e.g. Mount Everest

VI. Before nouns denoting ranks , Title or occupation

e.g. Queen Victoria

Doctor Abdul Kalam

VII. Before languages and words like school, college, university, church, hospital (when their primary purpose is referred to).
e.g.

a) I go to school every day to learn English.

I go to the school to drop my cousin.(no primary purpose)

b) My uncle is still in hospital.

VIII. Before names of relations, like father, mother, etc.
e.g. Father is still not at home.

 IX. In certain phrases consisting of preposition followed by its object.
e.g. At home, in hand, on foot, for love, by road.

X. After ‘all’ and before ‘whole’

All the people in the ball were drunk.

The whole auditorium was full of noise.

Quantifiers

Words that express the indefinite quantity of nouns are called Quantifiers

Some’, ‘many’ ‘a lot of’ and ‘a few’ are examples of quantifiers.

Quantifiers can be used in affirmative sentences, questions, requests or commands with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Examples:

  • There are some books in the cupboard.
  • I didn't see any friends.
  • How much money do you have?
  • There is a large number of fish in this river.
  • He’s got more marks than his sister.

Quantifiers  with countable and uncountable  nouns

Quantifier with Countable

Some, any ,many,  all, several, more, enough, less, lot of, a lot of, most etc

Any – always used with singular noun.(usually in interrogative and negative sentences)

Some – used with plural nouns.

Ex.

  • Most of the boys got selected.
  • I have a lot of novels.
  • Do you have any query?
  • Several countries are democratic.
  • Some glass sheets are removed.

Use of few (used with Countable nouns)

  1. Few – to denote very less or low in numbers

Ex.

Few(very less) people arrived in the party due to heavy rain.

  1.  a few - to denote enough in numbers

Ex.

I don’t feel alone as I have a few (enough)friends in London.

  1. the few – to denote rare quantity or the quantity that is used already.

Ex.

The few(rare) families are left in the village due to draught .

 Use of little (used with uncountable)

 Little, a little and the little

 Little - emphasises the lack of something or quantity in negative

e.g. We have little ( very less quantity ) fuel  right now; we should wait  tonight .

A little emphasises the  enough quantity.

e.g. There’s a little (enough) water  in the jug.

We have a little (enough) time. So, don’t worry.

The little” means “not much but all of that much”.

e.g.

  1. I spent the little money I had. ( I spent whatever money I had, it wasn't much and I spent all I had.)
  2. I drank the little water that was left in the glass. ( It wasn't enough and I drank all that was there .)

Use of much and many

Much - used with singular uncountable nouns

e.g.

  • I haven’t got much change;
  • There is too much sugar in the tea.
  • How much time  do we need for this task?

Many - used with plural nouns.

 Ex.

  • Many languages are originated from Sanskrit.

More, Less And Fewer
(comparative determiners)

 more or less – used before singular uncountable nouns by adding than after it, or for an additional or lesser quantity of something.

e.g.

  • I purchased more dresses than Shail.
     
  • Please give me some more  questions
         We use fewer before plural countable nouns to refer to a group of things smaller than another.

e.g. Fewer students attempted the quiz than last year.
Each and Every

 (Distributive Determiners Both  are followed by singular countable nouns and singular verbs.)

Each – used for two or more than two items

Every  - used for more than two items.

e.g.  

  • Each of the two boys has won a prize
  • Every person in the world has a parent.

Most, Several And All

Most – used with plural uncountable nouns.

e.g. 

  • Most of the people can be trusted.
  • Most of the time I am not at home.

Several – used with plural nouns, usually with number which is not very large. (i.e. less than most)

e.g. 

  • Several countries  were preparing for war.

All- requires a plural verb when used with a countable noun,

but requires a singular verb with an uncountable noun.

e.g. 

  • All are joining the trip.
  • All that glitters is not gold.

Another And Other

Another - used only with singular countable nouns,

Other- can be used with singular countable, plural countable or uncountable nouns.

e.g.

  • Call another candidate as first one is not a deserving candidate .
  • I would prefer the other cheap restaurants

 Either And Neither

 Either – Used in the sense of

  • Both

Ex. Either of the bags are affordable.

I couldn’t get either opportunity.

  • Choice between the two

Ex

Either Ria or Rashi can be selected.

  • In addition with something

Ex.

In the exam, questions were short and easy either.

Neither- means "not one or the other of two people or things."

In other words, neither means "not either."

Ex.

Neither of the candidates are right for the job.