Determiners: Classification with Examples

Determiners are words used before nouns when referring to a specific or general thing, to show possession, or to tell how much or how many. Some examples of determiners are:

a, an, the, many, any, one, little, few, much, every, each

A determiner is always followed by a noun.

Many people came to the party. Please give me my book.

These trees are so beautiful.

 

Kinds of Determiners

Articles

The indefinite articles a and an and the definite article the are determiners.

a mat, an Australian, the pencil in the drawer

 

Determiners of Quantity or Quantifiers

Some determiners of quantity may be used with countable nouns while others are used with uncountable nouns or with both.

Some examples are: some, any, much, enough, whole, little, a little, all, several, a lot, many, few, a few, the few, first few, second, one, two, etc.

Some of these determiners are easily confused and hence can be used incorrectly:

much	always used  before uncountable nouns to denote quantity	There is not much water left in the tank.
many	usually refers to  a number	Many people believe that technology is the best thing to happen to us.

use                                                        examples
little	to mean ‘almost nothing’	He has little interest in sports.
a little	to mean ‘some’	Give me a little sugar.
the little	to mean ‘all that is’	He gave the little money he had to charity.

 

	use	examples
few	opposite of many and refers to a number, means ‘practically none’	Few people here are vegetarian.
a few	to mean ‘some’	He has only a few friends.
the few	to mean ‘all there is’	Mohan gave away the few clothes he had.

 

	use	examples
any	for questions and negative statements	Do you have any books?
some	positive for a few	Here are some books.

There are determiners with two or more words: a lot of, plenty of, a large number of, etc. which can be used in these contexts.

Determiners of Distribution

Determiners like either, neither, each and every show distribution.

 

	use	examples
each	used when members of a set are considered individually. The verb used is singular.	Each person got his share.
every	used when a large but indefinite number of people or things are considered individually. Every is stronger than each.	Every man does their duty.

 

	use	examples
either	stands for any one of two or each of the two	You can pick up either of the boxes.
neither	the opposite of either and means ‘not the one nor the other’	He belongs to neither the ruling party nor the opposition.

Demonstrative Determiners

use                                                        examples
this that these those	to point out a person or thing	Can you lend me this pen? Is that car yours? These machines are imported from China. Are those books new?

 

Interrogative Determiners

use                                                        examples
what which whose	to ask questions	What time will we reach? Which city is your favourite? Whose pens are these?

 

Possessive Determiners

use                                                        examples
my, your, his, her, its, their, our	to show possession	Those are our plants. Is she your sister?

Specific and General Determiners

We use a specific determiner when we know exactly which thing(s) or person/people we are talking about.

The specific determiners are:

#  the definite article – the

the book on the table

#  demonstratives – this, that, these and those this pen, that bat, those children

#  possessives – my, your, his, her, its, our, their our house, their car, his sister, your class

When we speak about people or things without saying exactly who or what they are, we use general determiners.

DETERMINERS

The general determiners are:

## the indefinite articles – a, an

a flower, an advertisement

## a few, few, a little, all, any, both, enough, many, more, much, some, etc.

a few people, some trains, a little sugar