Can You express words without Determiners? No, Let’s Learn.

Determiners

A determiner is a very big part of English grammar. We cannot express our words without using determiners. It’s very necessary for both speaking English and writing English. We will explain what are determiners? What are the types of determiners? How can we use the determiners? Examples of determiners and many more.

What is a Determiner?

In English grammar a Determiner is a word that is used before a noun to show how the noun is being used, to show how great an effect the noun has, to limit its meaning.

Determiners Examples :-

• The Dog went home. [Here, the determiner directly comes before the noun (Dog) ]

• The boy was very intelligent. [ Here, also the determiner comes before the noun (boy)]

• The girl is an investigator.

• Both windows were closed.

Important Types of Determiners

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Definite and Indefinite Articles

Both definite and indefinite articles are the foremost necessary styles of determiners. Articles indicate which noun the speaker is indicating to. The main articles in determiner are ‘A’, ‘An’ and ‘the ‘.Here,’ The’ is a definite article while ‘A’ and ‘An’ are indefinite articles.

An is used before words start with vowels or vowel sounds, and A is used before words start with consonants.

Examples of Definite and Indefinite Articles :

• This is a scooter.
• There was an elephant.
• This is a beautiful garden.
• Vishnu is an actor.
• This is a hamster.
• Ram is an MLA
• He is an athlete.

            Use of Definite Article – The

The is a definite article that is used when somebody is indicating a particular noun.

Example:

• The cows of Chhattisgarh are very useful.
• The books you gave me are very good
• The leaders are dishonest.
• The farmers are laborious.
• The water of this well is Sweet.
• This is the book.
• The harmonium.
• The violin.
• The lion’s club.

Demonstrative Determiners

Demonstrative determiners are used when a speaker wants to locate a noun in a specific location. There are four main demonstrative determiners: This, that, these, those.

Examples of Demonstrative Determiners:

• This pen is black.
• Those children are intelligent.
• These apples are sour.
• Have you watched that movie?
• These hens are very healthy.
• We have bought this car.
• We are going to purchase these cloths

In the above examples This and that are used for singular nouns, and These and Those are used for a plural noun.

Possessive Determiners

When somebody wants to refer to a noun that belongs to somebody or something then possessive determiners are used. The main Possessive determiners are My, Your, Our, His, Her, It’s, Their. These all are used to show ownership.

Examples of Possessive Determiners:

• Where is my keypad?
• Their car was amazing.
• It is our secret room.
• Which one is his guitar?
• Her best friend is very honest.
• Which one is your house?
• She is my cousin.

Interrogative Determiners

Interrogative determiners are used before a noun to ask about something. What, which, and whose are called interrogative determiners or interrogative adjectives.

Examples of Interrogative Determiners:

• What is the size of this butter?
• Which is your house?
• Whose dog was running in the night?
• Whose pencil is this?
• What is the name of this temple?
• What color are her lips?
• What kind of animals is that?
• What is the name of your classmates?
• Which movie is your favorite?
• Which pencil are you using now?

Distributive Determiners

Distributive determiners are those determiners that indicate to a group of things or people, and individual members of the group. They indicate how something is distributed, shared, or divided. The main distributive determiners are Each, Every, Either, Neither, all, half, and both.

Examples of Distributive Determiners:

• Every morning I wake up at 4 am.
• Each of the children got good marks.
• All monuments are beautiful.
• Both boys are courageous.
• I like all vegetables.
• I bought half a dozen of eggs.
• Half the people have already missed the bus.
• Both of my parents have a new phone.
• Either day was bad for me.

Quantifiers

Quantifiers are used when anybody wants to define the quantity in a noun phrase.

( A lot of, a spoonful of, less, little, much, more, most, A part of, a large amount of, lots of, plenty of, a bottle/cup/glass/ plate of, a kilo/pound/ton/quintal of, a liter/meter of, A loaf of, half of, enough, etc are all quantifiers )

Examples of Quantifiers:

• We have got plenty of time to finish the work.
• She eats a spoonful of sugar.
• A large amount of juice was wasted.
• We need a little milk in our drink.
• Few trains are found in poor countries
• Most of the students are giving their test
• We have enough money to purchase a house.
• Some people are very good.
• How many times have you visited Raipur?

Determiners Exercises

A ) Pick out the determiners in the following sentences –

1. The man was very intelligent.
2. A few apples of this basket are spoiled.
3. His mother is going to Los Angeles next month.
4. All these cars are mine.
5. Each woman has a pen.

Answers

1. The
2. A few, this
3. His, next
4. All, these
5. Each, a

B) Fill in the blanks

1. There are __ trees behind my house.
2. There is ___milk in the jug.
3. Take ___book you need.
4. ___lady had come here.

Answers

1. Some
2. Some
3. Any
4. Some

C ) Fill in the blanks with ‘much’ or ‘ many’

1. They weren’t___.
2. He ate___ bread.
3. ____people came to help us.
4. I don’t know how __salary he gets.

Answers

1. Many
2. Much
3. Many
4. Much

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Some Important FAQ’s

Determiners PDF