DETERMINERS

Determiners are the decisive factors in regard to adjective and pronoun. Determiners are used to refer to many classes of words which are called adjective and pronoun. They are also called the fixing words. These words precede the noun and are conducive to elucidate its meaning.

Determiners are of five kinds:-

(1)   Demonstrative: this, that, these, those are such words that refer to persons and things. This and that are singular. These and those are plural.

(2)   Possessive: My, our, your, his, her, its, their, one’s etc. are called possessives. They make you aware of the relationship with them by preceding a singular and plural noun.

(3)   Numerical: Any, many, each, every, both, all, either, neither, few, a few, the few, fewer, a large number of, etc. denote numbers.

(4)   Quantitative: Some, much, little, a little, the little, less, a lot of, a great deal of , a good deal of etc. denote quantity.

(5)   Article: a, an and the are, in fact, analytical determiners.

A_ The most common Determiners are: a, an, all, another, any, both, certain, each, either, enough, every, few, half, last, least, less, little, many, more, most, much, neither, next, no, other, own, plenty, some, several, such, that/those, the, this/these, whole. The numerals (cardinal and ordinal) and possessives (my, our, your, his, her, their) can be added with them.

B_  Determiners can be used to identify a person or thing, or two or more persons or things; as:-

a_This book is mine.                         

b_Those pens are ours.                     

c_Tom’s car is in the garage.            

d_My uncle’s car is in the garage.              

C_ Determiners may denote a quantity or amount; as:- five women, several boys, some girls, a few men, some milk, no sugar, a little milk, not much water.

D_ You have already learnt that nouns can be classified into two categories:

1. Nouns such as glass, pen, mango and horse are countable nouns. They can be used with the articles, with numerals and in the plural.

2. Nouns such as bread, cheese, knowledge, milk, music, traffic and home-work are uncountable nouns. Such nouns are neither used in the plural nor with numerals. The uncountable nouns are used with determiners to indicate quantity and amount; as:- half a litre of milk, three kilograms of sugar, five meters of cloth, a piece of cloth, a sheet of paper, a blade of grass, a heap of books, an item of news, a piece of advice.