Use of Determiners
Category : 8th Class
Let us see how the various Determiners are used in the English language.
Article Determiners
We have already discussed about the use of articles in this book.
Demonstrative Determiners
This, that, these, and those are Demonstrative Adjective and are used before the Nouns by pointing towards the objects.
Possessive Determiners
My, our, your, his, her, their / its, ones are all pronouns or Adjectives of Possessive case.
Numeral Determiners
Numeral Adjectives are of three types;
(i) Definite Numerals
(ii) Indefinite Numerals
(iii) Distributive Numerals
(A) Definite Numerals
First, second, third, -- one, two, three, etc. are some examples of Definite Numerals.
(B) Indefinite Numerals
They express the Indefinite Numbers. Some, many, a few, all, several are some of its examples.
Some: A singular or plural noun can be used after 'some'. If 'some' is used with a countable noun then it means 'a few' or 'a small number'.
Many: Common Noun with plural number is used with many. When it is used with a countable noun, 'many' means 'a great number'.
'Many a' is used with a countable Noun which is Singular in number.
Few, a few, the few: Few means a small number. The antonym of few is many.
A few means some. The antonym of a few is none.
The few means some (not many) but all that is.
All: All is used with plural number.
Several: Several means many.
(C) Distributive Numerals
These are Distributive Adjectives. They give us the knowledge of every person or thing of any category.
Each: Each is used for everything or a person from a definite quantity.
Every: Every means all.
Either: Either means anyone out of the two.
Neither: Neither means none of the two.
(D) Quantitative Determiners
'Some, no, any, more, much, little' are all adjective of quantity, which give us the knowledge of the quantity of a thing.
Some: In the form of adjective of quantity, it is used with uncountable nouns, where it means a little or a small quantity.
Any: Any means 'some'. It is used in negative or interrogative sentences.
No: It means - not any.
Much: Much means - plenty and it expresses quantity.
More: More means greater quantity.
Less: Less means in a smaller degree.
Little: It means not much and is used in the negative sense.
A little: A little means - a small quantity.
The little: The little means not much but all that is.
Many: Many means several.
Look at following sentences (The words in bold are determiners)
(i) The cow is an animal.
(ii) My brother is a teacher.
(iii) Either boy is safe.
(iv) She has one son and three daughters.
(v) Both books were out of the library.
NOTE: If noun is not added with this / that / these / those, we cannot call it determiners it is called a demonstrative pronoun.
Here this, that, these and those are Demonstrative Pronouns
Some determiners are used in the form of pronouns. For example,
Some, all, most, many, more, several, both, half, enough, one, either.
Some cows are gentle | (Some-determiner) |
Some are gentle | (Some-pronoun) |
I have found some | (Some-pronoun) |
Some of you are guilty | (Some-determiner) |
Either way is safe | (Either-determiner) |
Either of the ways is safe | (Either-pronoun) |
You can choose either | (Some-pronoun) |
Which is yours? | (Which-pronoun) |
Which book is yours? | (Which-determiner) |
There are three kinds of Determiners:
Pre determiners | Central determiners | Post determiners |
all, both, half | a, an, the | one, two, three, etc. |
double, twice, etc. | this, that, these, those | first, second, etc. |
one, third, etc. | my, your, his, etc. | next, last, other, etc. |
what, such, etc. | what, which, whose | many, few, little, several, |
(what a boy, such a boy) | (Interrogative adjectives) | more, etc. (Quantifiers) |
some, any, no, every, each, | ||
either, neither, enough, much |
Some more examples of determiners
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