Determiners

A determiner is a word that modifies, describes, or introduces a noun.

Determiners can be used to clarify what a noun refers to (e.g., your car) and to
indicate quantity or number (e.g., four wheels).

Examples:
That cup is chipped.
Priya is taking her first steps.

How are determiners used in sentences?

A determiner modifies or describes a noun by clarifying what it refers to.
Determiners do this by indicating qualities such as possession, relative position,
and quantity. In a noun phrase, determiners come before nouns.

Examples: Determiners and nouns

One person is missing from the group.
I’ve been stung by a wasp.

Determiners vs. Adjectives

Many kinds of determiners are traditionally classified as adjectives, and they
may still be classified that way now, depending on the source you consult. But
there are significant differences in how determiners and adjectives actually
function.
While both can be used to modify a noun, only an adjective can modify a
pronoun (e.g., he’s sad). And unlike adjectives, determiners are often
considered essential to the sentences they’re a part of and can’t be removed.

Examples: Determiners vs. Adjectives

Calvin cycled his blue bike home from work.
Calvin cycled his bike home from work.
Calvin cycled bike home from work.

Tip
If a noun is preceded by both a determiner and an adjective, the determiner
will always occur first (e.g., Siya is proud of her new job).

Definite and indefinite articles

Articles are sometimes classed as their own part of speech, but they are also
considered a type of determiner.

The definite article the is used to refer to a specific noun (i.e., one that is
unique or known).

Examples: Definite article in a sentence

The moon looks beautiful tonight.
Can I borrow the book on the table?

The indefinite articles a and an are used to refer to a general or unspecific

version of a noun. Which indefinite article you use depends on the
pronunciation of the word that follows.
A is used before words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g., a clown).
An is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (e.g., an arrow).
Examples: Indefinite articles in a sentence
Jesse ate an apple and an orange.
Would you like a free sample?

Indefinite articles can also be used to refer to something for the first time.
Once a noun has been introduced, the definite article should then be used, as
it refers to a previously mentioned noun.

Example: Indefinite and definite articles

An elephant approached. The elephant was large and gray.

Note
While the definite article the can be used with all countable and uncountable
nouns, the indefinite articles a and an can only be used with singular countable
nouns.
The rain
A rain
The raindrop
A raindrop

Demonstrative determiners
Demonstrative determiners (also called demonstrative adjectives or simply
demonstratives) are used to indicate relative positions of a noun. The
demonstrative determiners are:

“This” (the singular “near” demonstrative)

“These” (the plural “near” demonstrative)
“That” (the singular “far” demonstrative)
“Those” (the plural “far” demonstrative)
Examples: Demonstrative determiners indicating position
I don’t want to sit at this table. I want that table near the window.
These people are not to blame. Those people over there started the fight.

They can also be used to distinguish between more recent time (this and these)
and more distant time (that and those).

Examples: Demonstrative determiners indicating time

This winter is a lot milder than that winter.
We were very close in those days, but we rarely see each other these days.

Note
Demonstrative determiners are identical in form to their equivalent
demonstrative pronouns. The difference is that demonstrative pronouns stand
on their own rather than modifying a noun.
For example, in the sentence “I don’t want this,” “this” functions as a
demonstrative pronoun.

Possessive determiners
A possessive determiner (also called a possessive adjective) is used to describe
ownership or possession. The possessive determiners are my, your, his, her, its,
our and their.
They are closely related to personal pronouns (in that they also have first-,
second-, and third-person forms) but not classed as pronouns themselves. They
differ grammatically from possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours,
and theirs), which stand alone rather than modifying nouns (e.g., “Yours is
better”).

Example: Possessive determiner in a sentence

Penelope brought her cat to the vet.
The tree is shedding its leaves.

Note
While the possessive forms of nouns typically end with an ’s (e.g., Dave’s
bedroom), possessive determiners do not use an apostrophe. As a result of
this, confusion sometimes occurs between its and it’s, whose and who’s, and
there, their, and they’re.

Numbers
Both cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.) and ordinal numbers (first,
second, third, etc.) can be used as determiners.

Cardinal numbers
Cardinal numbers are used to indicate the quantity of people or things. They
typically follow other determiners in a sentence (e.g., my one chance).

Examples: Cardinal numbers as determiners

I’m close with my four siblings.

Ordinal numbers
Ordinal numbers are used to specify the order of nouns in a series. They follow
other determiners in a sentence (e.g., your sixth birthday).

Examples: Ordinal numbers as determiners

I think the third man in the lineup is the thief.

Distributive determiners
Distributive determiners (also called distributive adjectives) are used to refer to
a group or to individual people or objects within a group. The distributive
determiners are all, each, every, both, half, either, and neither.

Examples: Distributive determiners in a sentence

Each employee was given a raise.
Half the team didn’t show up to practice.

Neither Lina nor John has met the new neighbors.

Interrogative determiners
An interrogative determiner (also called an interrogative adjective) modifies a
noun or pronoun in a direct or indirect question. The interrogative determiners
are what, which, and whose.

These words can also function as pronouns instead of determiners when used
in place of a noun (e.g., “Which do you like?”). And when they are used as
determiners outside the context of a question, they are called “relative
determiners.”

Example: Interrogative determiners and relative determiners

What height is the Empire State Building?
Whose turn is it to wash the dishes?

I wonder which hand he broke.

Note
Although what and which are often used interchangeably in questions, they
don’t have the same meaning.
What is usually used to ask a question when there is a wide range of options or
the options are unknown.
Which is used when the number of options is more limited or the options are
known.

Quantifiers
Quantifiers (also called indefinite adjectives) indicate the quantity of a noun.
They include all, any, few, less, little, many, much, no, several, and some. They
also include the cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc.).

Examples: Quantifiers in a sentence

There are already several people waiting for a table at this restaurant.
Some students in the class are refusing to do their homework.

Determiners of difference
Other and another are the determiners of difference.

Other is used to mean “additional” or “different types of.” It’s used with plural
countable nouns (e.g., doors) and all uncountable nouns (e.g., knowledge).
Examples: Other in a sentence
Other shoes might match your outfit better.
Do we have any other fruit?

Indefinite Adjectives
Below mentioned is the use of Indefinite Adjectives along with formulas and
examples-

Some

The indefinite adjective ‘Some’ is generally used in affirmative sentences with

uncountable and plural countable nouns. The rule can be understood with the
help of the following example sentences –
There is some proof that he is guilty.
I have some good ideas on the project.

It can also be used in questions where ‘Yes’ is expected as an answer. The rule
can be understood with the help of the following example sentences –
Would you like some tea?
Could you give me some food?

Any

It is used in questions when you want to ask whether something exists or not.
It is also used in negative sentences where we want to say that something does
not exist. The rule can be understood with the help of the following example
sentences –
I don’t need any help.
Do you have any advice on the matter?
It is also used in affirmative sentences before plural nouns and uncountable
nouns when it refers to a quantity of something which may or may not exist.
The rule can be understood with the help of the following example sentences –
You can stop at any point you like.

Little and Much

These are used to refer to amount or quantity. Little is used to emphasize that
there is a small amount of something whereas ‘Much’ is used for emphasizing
on large quantities. Both of them are used with uncountable nouns. Little is
also used in reference to small amount of something without any emphasis.
The rule can be understood with the help of the following example sentences –
I want to spend a little time in Dubai.
I have studied very little for my exam.
Do you like to watch much television?

Few and Many

These are mostly used to refer to a number. They are used before plural
countable nouns. Few emphasizes a smaller number and many refer to more
numbers. The rule can be understood with the help of the following example
sentences –
Few students came for the class today.
Many people went to welcome the Indian Cricket team.
They stayed in the U.S.A for a few days.
He held oranges in both his hands.

More, Less and Fewer

They are mostly used as comparative determiners. ‘More’ is used before plural
and uncountable nouns (with than) to refer to a quantity or amount which is
greater than another quantity or amount. It is also used to refer to an
additional quantity of something. Less is used to refer to an amount that is less
than another amount. Fewer is used where we refer to a group of things that
are smaller than another group before plural nouns. The rule can be
understood with the help of the following example sentences –
He does much more cardio than I do.
The poor have less access to cleanliness.
There are fewer cars here.

Others

There are many other determiners that are used in the English language and
can not be put under any fixed category. So we have put them all one by one
and then given along are their rules for using them in sentences along with
examples.

All

All is mostly used with a plural verb when followed by a countable plural noun.
It includes all the persons or things of a particular kind. Another rule for it is
that it requires a singular verb when it is followed by an uncountable noun. The
rule can be understood with the help of the following example sentences –
All children cannot be treated in the same manner.
Both
This determiner is mostly used to talk about two things of the same kind. It is
used to show that two persons or things are involved rather than one and is
often followed by ‘and’. The rule can be understood with the help of the
following example sentences –
Both Raman and Raghav went out for a movie.
He held oranges in both his hands.

Either and Neither

These determiners usually refer to two persons or things but show that one out
of the two is or is not involved in a situation. Neither is used mostly with
singular nouns and by either, it can mean both of two things especially when it
is used with ‘end’ or ’side’. The rule can be understood with the help of the
following example sentences –
Take either side of the bed, both are the same.
Neither of them is speaking the truth.

Each and Every

These determiners are used to refer to all members of a group, persons or

things. When we talk about members as individuals, we use ‘each’ and when
we make a statement about all of them we use ‘every’. They are to be prefixed
before a singular countable noun and the verb attached with them should be
singular. The rule can be understood with the help of the following example
sentences –
Each and every board member was present in the meeting.
Today a laptop and air conditioner can be seen in each house.
Every child is said to have his/ her own special abilities.

One

This determiner is used when we are talking or writing about a group and we
want to say something about a particular member of the group. It is used in
place of ‘a’ or ‘an’ and it explains things more clearly. The rule can be
understood with the help of the following example sentences –
I know one resturant where you can get amazing Chinese food.

One man was falsely framed in a murder case.

Another
It can be used with a singular countable noun to talk about an additional
person or thing of the same type. The rule can be understood with the help of
the following example sentences –
Can I have another cup of coffee?
He opened another branch last month.
Another is used to mean “one more” or “a different one.” It’s only used with
singular countable nouns (e.g., fork).

Example: Another in a sentence

Can I have another cup of tea?

Enough

The determiner ‘enough’ is used before uncountable nouns or plural nouns to

say that there is something that is sufficient and enough as much as needed.
The rule can be understood with the help of the following example sentences –
The hotel had enough rooms for all the guests.
They did not have enough storage to store all that they had ordered for.

Most

‘Most’ is used to indicate nearly all of an amount or of a group. The rule can be
understood with the help of the following example sentences –
Most of the people do not recover from this fatal disease.
Most of the people in India are working class.

Several
It is usually used to indicate an imprecise number that is not very large but
more than two. The rule can be understood with the help of the following
example sentences –
There were several deaths during the floods in U.P.

There were several cases of fraud pending against him in the court.

Quantity. Little is used to emphasize that there is a small amount of something

whereas ‘Much’ is used for emphasizing on large quantities. Both of them are
used with uncountable nouns. Little is also used in reference to small amount
of something without any emphasis. The rule can be understood with the help
of the following example sentences –
I want to spend a little time in Dubai.
I have studied very little for my exam.
Do you like to watch much television?