Determiners in English Grammar

Definition

• A determiner is a word that expresses the reference of a noun or noun phrase in a sentence.
• It indicates whether the noun is specific or general, and whether it is singular or plural.

Types of Determiners

• Articles: the, a, an
  • Indicate whether the noun is specific (the) or general (a, an)
  • Used to modify singular nouns
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
  • Indicate proximity or distance from the speaker
  • Used to modify singular or plural nouns
• Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
  • Indicate possession or relationship
  • Used to modify singular or plural nouns
• Quantifiers: some, any, all, both, each, few, many, much, little, etc.
  • Indicate quantity or amount
  • Used to modify singular or plural nouns
• Interrogative Determiners: which, what
  • Used in questions to ask for specific information
  • Modify singular or plural nouns
• ** Distributives**: each, every, either, neither
  • Indicate distribution or selection
  • Used to modify singular nouns

Functions of Determiners

• Specify: indicate which noun is being referred to
• Quantify: indicate the quantity or amount of the noun
• Describe: provide additional information about the noun
• Emphasize: draw attention to the noun

Key Points

• Determiners typically come before the noun or noun phrase in a sentence
• They can combine with other determiners to form more complex expressions
• The choice of determiner depends on the context, grammatical function, and intended meaning of the sentence