DETERMINERS

 Determiners are words which modify nouns.

 They come before nouns and specify something about their quantity ,
ownership etc
 TYPES OF DETERMINERS :
1) Articles - A, An, The
2) Numerals - i) Definite – first, second, one, two…hundred etc
ii) Indefinite – some, few, many, all etc
iii) Distributive – every, each, either, neither etc
3) Quantifier – few, little, much, more , any ….
4) Demonstrative – this, that, these, those
5) Possessives – my, your, his, her, its, ours , theirs
6) Interrogatives – where , what , which , whose….
 Articles
 Articles are members of determiner family . Articles are used
before nouns.
 A , An, The - are Articles

 Articles ‘A’ and ‘An’ are called indefinite article, because it leaves
indefinite the person or thing spoken of ; as , a doctor (any doctor)

 Article ‘The’ is called the definite Article, because it points out

some particular person or thing ; as - He saw the doctor ( a
particular doctor)

 Article A or An is used before a singular noun . The choice

between A or An is determined by first sound of pronunciation of
these nouns . A is used before a consonant sound and An is used
before a vowel sound.
When is A or An and The used :
Use of An :
 Before words beginning with vowel sounds (a,e,i,o,u )
eg an apple , an egg
 Before words beginning with silent ‘h’
eg an hour, an honourable man, an honest man
 F, H,L,M,N,R,S,X are letters that are not vowels but begin with vowel sound
eg ‘M’ has the sound of ‘ em ’ .
So an is used before abbreviations beginning with vowels or these letters.
Eg an MLA, an FIR

 Use of A :
 Before words beginning with consonant sound eg a boy, a box
 With vowel letters having consonant sound that of yu. : eg a university, a
European
 In exclamatory expressions before singular countable nouns : eg What a pretty
girl !
 In expression of price, speed etc
eg Milk costs fifty rupees a kilogram
I drove my car at fifty kilometers an hour
 Use of ‘The’
 When we speak of a particular person or thing , or one already referred to :
eg The boy near the tap is my brother
 When a singular noun represents the whole class :
eg The Mango is considered the king among fruits.
 With names of : gulfs, rivers, oceans, islands and mountains
eg the Himalayas, the Indian ocean
 Certain books : eg the Vedas, the Bible
 Religious groups : the Hindus , the Sikhs
 Before common nouns denoting unique things : the sun, the sky, the earth
 With superlatives : He is the best boy in the class
 With ordinals : He lives in the tenth block
 Practice Set
 Fill in the blanks with A, An or The where necessary and put a mark (X) where not
necessary :
1) ….. Ganga is ….sacred river.
2) …… French defeated ….. Germans
3) Which is …. Longest river in India ?
4) Honest men always speak ….. Truth .
5) She returned after …. Hour .
6) Allahabad is….. Holy city .
7) Sanskrit is … easy language .
8) What …. Beautiful scene this is !
9) …..Honesty is …. Best policy.
10) Do you play ….hockey ?
11) ….. USA is …. richest country of …. World.
12) There is….union of domestic servants also.
13) I saw….. Ugly boy riding on….ass.
14) He is ….L.L.B. but she is …..M.A.
15) Kashmir is …… Switzerland of India.
Answers :
1) The Ganga is a sacred river.
2) The French defeated the Germans.
3) Which is the Longest river in India ?
4) Honest men always speak the truth .
5) She returned after an Hour .
6) Allahabad is a Holy city .
7) Sanskrit is an easy language .
8) What a beautiful scene this is !
9) ..X.. Honesty is the Best policy.
10) Do you play …X...hockey ?
11) The USA is the richest country of the World.
12) There is a union of domestic servants also.
13) I saw an Ugly boy riding on the ass.
14) He is an L.L.B. but she is an M.A.
15) Kashmir is the Switzerland of India.
 Using different kinds of Determiners

 BOTH : It is used to mention two persons or things of the same kind.

Eg - Both of these are well written.

 ALL : It is used in two forms . When it comes before an uncountable noun , the sentence
carries a singular verb. Eg – All that shines is not gold. When it comes before a countable
plural noun , the sentence carries a plural verb. Eg- All the kids were well read

 SOME : It is used before both countable and uncountable nouns. For ex – some books,
some food. In case of interrogative sentences, it is used to express a request , an offer
or order. Ex – Can I get you some coffee ?

 ANY : It is used to refer to a quantity of something that may or may not exist ex –1) He
Doesn’t own any car. 2) Do you know any person by that name ?

 OTHER , ANOTHER : Other can be used with singular/plural countable nouns ex – We

must consult other members. Another is used to add an additional person or thing of the
same type.
 Using different kinds of Determiners
 FEW, MANY : When Few is used to determine countable nouns, it means
hardly any. It always denotes a negative meaning. A few is used in the
positive sense to denote the meaning of not many . Ex – Few students came
for doubts 2) They asked a few doubts.

 Many is used as a determiner for both singular and plural nouns.1) Many
students came for the seminar 2) Many a student is worried about his/her
future in India.

 MUCH, LITTLE, A LITTLE : Much is used to determine uncountable nouns and

emphasizes upon a large amount ex Much importance was given to the idea
of democracy. Little is used to determine uncountable nouns where it carries
the meaning of hardly any and denotes a negative meaning. Ex – There was
little room for me to sit.

 A little carries the meaning of some and denotes a positive meaning ex –

With a little creativity he could become better writer.
 Using different kinds of Determiners
 Either, Neither : Either is used to determine one of the two things, people or
situation.
It may either emphasize on both subjects as possibilities or one of them.
Ex Either candidate can be selected.
Neither is actually the negative depiction of either. It always acts singular when
used
with singular countable nouns.
Ex – Neither plan was successful.

 MOST, SEVERAL : Most is used as a determiner with plural countable nouns.

It denotes the meaning of nearly all of a group or amount.
Ex – Most plants, Most MPs

 Several depicts the meaning of more than two but not a very large number.
Ex - Several students questioned his thesis.
 Using different kinds of

Determiners
MORE, LESS,FEWER : When More is used with both uncountable nouns and
plural nouns, it refers to a comparison. It is also used to denote additional
quantity of something in a sentence.
Ex – He requires more help.
 Less is generally used in front of uncountable nouns to determine an amount
of something which is smaller than another.
Ex – He has less time to complete this task.
Fewer is also used before plural nouns to refer to a group of things smaller
than another group.
Ex- Fewer teams have qualified this year for the international tournaments.
 EACH, EVERY : These two determiners are similar in meaning. Each is used to
depict the meaning of two and more than two and Every is used for more
than two. Both are used before singular countable nouns. Additionally Each is
used when the number in the group is limited or definite. Every on the other
hand is used when the number is indefinite.
Ex – Each of the two committees gets a vote / Every parent was available
for PTA meeting.
Using Different kinds of Determiners
 Demonstrative Adjectives
 This , That, These and Those are four demonstrative adjectives that are used in different
ways to determine different kinds of nouns.
 THAT/THOSE : In case of singular noun usage, that is used to avoid repetition of the
preceding noun in a sentence. Ex – My new car is much better than that of my father.
Those is used in case of plural noun usage. Ex – The sweets at this shop are much better
than those of the shop in the town.
 THIS/THESE : In case of singular noun usage, This refers to things or person close to the
speaker. Ex- This chapter is very interesting. These is used in plural noun usage ex-
These designs are very beautiful.
 THAT/ THOSE : In case of singular noun usage That refers to things or persons away from
the speaker. Ex – Make sure that chair is kept in the store . Those is used in case of plural
noun usage. Ex – Those blocks are quite far.
 POSSESSIVES
 My, your, his, her, its, our, their, mine, yours, ours, hers, theirs, one’s are possessives.
These words are used to define ownership or possession in a sentence. They always refer
to the possessor in the sentence. Ex – I will finish my work on time
 Possessive Adjectives come before the noun and Possessive Pronouns are placed after a
noun Ex – This is my car( possessive adjective) & This car is mine ( possessive pronoun)
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate
determiner
1) Yogesh is a language enthusiast, but he only knows …..about mathematics(little/a
little)
2) Despite spending long hours in her study, she has not solved….word
problems(many/any)
3) I waited for …… minutes before calling her again(few/a few)
4) I don’t think there will be a severe shortage of drinkable water because there has
been…...rainfall since previous month.
(little/a lot)
5) The Chief Minister visited ……drought hit area(every/either)
6) We have very ……..chance of reaching office on time as it’s still another 2 kms
away(less/few)
7) There were ……people at the meeting earlier but most of them left early so there
aren’t many left now(most/several)
8) Ramesh bought ice-cream for ……member of the family(each/every)
9) There would be……..accidents on the road if people start obeying all traffic
rules(less/fewer)
10) Although she thought she knew most of the subject, the teacher asked…..details she
Answers :

1) Yogesh is a language enthusiast, but he only knows little about

mathematics(little/a little)
2) Despite spending long hours in her study, she has not solved any word
problems(many/any)
3) I waited for a few minutes before calling her again(few/a few)
4) I don’t think there will be a severe shortage of drinkable water because there has
been a lot of rainfall since previous month.(little/ a lot)
5) The Chief Minister visited every drought hit area(every/either)
6) We have very less chance of reaching office on time as it’s still another 2 kms
away(less/few)
7) There were several people at the meeting earlier but most of them left early so
there aren’t many left now(most/several)
8) Ramesh bought ice-cream for each member of the family(each/every)
9) There would be fewer accidents on the road if people start obeying all traffic
rules(less/fewer)
10) Although she thought she knew most of the subject, the teacher asked a few
details she hardly remembered(several/a few)