The Other Determiners

2008-09-23T03:38:00.000-07:00

“This” is used for people, things and
situations which are close to the speaker.” That” is used for those things
which are more distant in space or time.

“This “ is related
to “here”; “That “ is related to “There”
i. This book is interesting. How is that one

ii. This girl is my sister. Who is that woman?

“These” and “Those” can also be used in exactly the same way as this and tha
i. These boys are tall;
ii. Those houses are new

My,your,his,her,its,our and their are determiners They are often called “Possessive Adjectives”

This is my bicycle. Her eyes are lovely.
i. These words cannot be used together with other determiners you cannot say

A my friend, or the your uncle or this her house

All of them come at the beginning of noun pharses.But usually only one determiner can be used in a Noun Phrase

Note that “its” is spelt with no apostrophic (‘).It means it is or it has

We’ve got a new dog. What is its name? It’s called Tommy

“Whose” can be used as a determiner

Whose car is this?

i. In Short questions with no verb, prepositions come before “whose”
ii. I am going to buy a car --------with whose money?

“Some” and “any” are used before plural and uncountable nouns

I need some medicine (uncountable)

Have you got any pins(Countable)

“Some” is usually used in affirmative sentences, any in negative and interrogative ones.

a. I want some potatoes, please

b. Are these any roses in your garden?

c. No, there aren’t any roses in our garden.

But when a question is really an invitation or a request “Some” is used

a. Would you like some coffee, please?

“Any” is used after “if” and expressions of doubt.

a. If you have any doubts, please let me know.(not some)

“Something”,”anything”,” someone” and
anyone are used in the same way as “Some” or “Any”. They are pronouns

There is something wrong here.
Is there anyone in this room?

“Some” with a member, means “about” or” approximately”

a. Some three hundred people attended the funeral.

Before another determiner(article, demonstrate or possessive word).We use “Some of “and
“any of”

Would you like some of my ice cream?

I couldn’t understand any of the lectures.

“Any” can mean “it doesn’t matter which”

a. Come and see me any time

b. Take any book you like

“Any ------ but “means “any ---------except”

a. I will go to any restaurant but that one

In relative sentence,” Any” is usually followed by” that” not “which” or “who”

a. Borrow any book that interests you.

“No” is a determiner. In negative sentences “No” can be used instead of “not any” .It is more
emphatic

We haven’t got any time.

we have got no time
I didn’t have any ideas.

I had no ideas.

“Any” cannot be used alone with the same meaning as “no”

“Not” is necessary to give a negative meaning to “any”

“No” is like “any” –it cannot be used with another determiner.

Before “the”, ‘my”,” your”, “this”, “that”, etc. we use “none of” (not any of)

a. None of my friends live near here.

“No” (meaning “not at all”) can be used as an adverb before comparatives

You look no older than thirty.

Some people get no father whenever they eat.

We can also use “no” with the word “Good” ,”Use” and “Different”

a. I am no good at tennis.

b. It’s no use crying over spilt milk.

c. He was no different, though I hadn’t seen him for years.

“Any” can also be used like this with comparatives “Different”,” Good”, “Use”, but not “Some” is used like this

a. Is she any better?

b. I couldn’t go further.

c. Was the film any good?- No good at all

d. Is it any use talking to him?- It’s no use at all.

“Each” and “Every” do not mean quite the same. Every puts people or things into a group, like
all, we often use” every” to generalize. But “each” separates. When we say “each player”, we think of the people one at a time doing things separately or differently.

Every player practices for several hours a day

The captain shook hands with each player in turn.

When we are stressing the idea of a whole group, “each” is not used.

Each is used as a determiner with a singular countable Noun.

a. Each day is better than the one before.

When there is another determiner (art-dem-poss) each of is used with a plural noun.

a. Each of my aunts gave me a present(not each of aunts)

Each of is not use possible when there is no other determiner

Each of is also used before a personal pronoun.

“All” and “Every” have quite similar meanings .They can both be used to talk about people or
things in general. “All” can be used with a plural noun and verb but “Every”
is used with singular words.

All the children were hungry, Every child was hungry

All is followed by “the” or another determiner, but “Every” is not.

“All “and “Every” can also be used to talk about the member of a particular group.

a. She has eaten all the biscuits. What, every one? - Yes, every single one.

“All” can also be used with a singular word to mean,” Every part of”.” Every “cannot have this meanings.

a. She was here all day (the whole of the day)

b. She was here every day( she didn’t miss a day)

“Both” mean “two together”. So it is used only with plural countable nouns and refers to
two in number.

“Both” books are expensive .He is blind in both eyes.

“Both” can come before a noun often with a determiner
(the, this, my)

a. Both the cars broke down.

b. Both my children are clever.

“Both” is also used with “of” when there is a determiner with the noun

a. Both of his neighbors are lawyers

b. I got both of these pups in Ooty.

“Both” cannot be used without “of” before personal pronouns. It is impossible to say “both we” and “both us”. We either use” both of” an object pronoun (both of us), or “both” after the pronoun (us both)

a. Both of us were born on March 17^th

The letter is addressed to us both/ to both of us. You cannot put article before “both”.” Both” can be used with the verb. It comes in the same position as “mid position Adverb”

a. You are both wrong

b. She spoke both French and English

c. We have both studied drawing.

d. She both plays the piano and sings songs.

“Both “can be used as a pronoun (without a noun)

a. I‘ll take both, please.

b. Both look equally good to me.

The rule for the use of “all” and “each” are rather than like those for “Both”

“Half” can be used before a noun, with or without “of” (like) “all” and “both”. But “half
“must be followed by a determiner

Half this money is yours.

Half of the milk has been drunk.

He wastes half (of) his time.

Before a personal pronoun,” half of” is always used.

a. Only half of them were present

b. Half of us were out.

“Of” is not used with “half” when we are talking about measurement or quantities.

a. I want half a dozen eggs, please.

b. The child drank half a bottle of milk.

“Half” can be used as a pronoun with no following noun.

a. I gave her half and kept half for myself.

The article “the” is used before “half” to say exactly which half we are talking about

a. I gave her half and kept the other half for myself.

“Much” and “Many” are used most often in Question and negative sentences. In affirmative
sentences we generally use “a lot (of)”, lots (of)” and “plenty (of)”.”Much”
is used with uncountable nouns and many is used with countable.

How much money have
you got? ---- I have got plenty.

He‘s got plenty of
men friends but he doesn’t know many girls.

“Much” and “many” are perfectly normal in affirmative
sentences after” too”,”so”, and “as” and in some expressions with “very”

a. There’s so much violence these days.

b. You’ve bought too many tomatoes.

c. I enjoyed the concert very much.

“Much” can be used with superlative adjectives and adverbs.

a. He is much the most imaginative of them all.

“Many” is used before a plural expression to strengthen “more”

a. There are many more people than I expected.

“Much” and “many” can be used pronouns

a. She never eats much for breakfast.

b. How many do you want?

They are also used with “of” when there is a determiner with the noun

a. I lay awake much of the night.

b. Many of my friends are learning English.

“Much” and “Many” cannot be used without” of” before personal pronouns.

a. She bought a new book but she hasn’t read much of it.

b. Many of them were too tired to go further.

“More” is determiner .It is comparative of “Much” and “Many”. It can be used together with an
uncountable or plural noun without “of”.

We need more time.

More people are drinking liquor these days.

“More of” is used before a noun which has a determiner with it

“More of” is also used before personal pronouns (the, these, my)

a. You can’t have any more of my sugar.

b. I don’t think any more of them want to come.

“More” can be used as a pronoun without a noun.

a. I’d like some more, please.

“Most” (Meaning “the majority of” or “the largest part of”) is a determiner .It can be used
before a noun alone, or a noun with an adjective. It cannot be used directly together with another determiner.

Most people agree with my proposal.

Most meat is expensive.

“Most” can also be used as a pronoun like other determiners

a. Which is most, 10, 20, or 30?

b. A has a lot, B has more but C has most

Together with “of”, it can be used before another determiner or another pronoun

a. He has eaten most of the food.

b. Most of us have seen that film.

“Most” can also be used with an adjective to make a superlative form, and as the superlative of “Much “and “Many”. In this meaning it can be used after “the” or other determiner.

a. He is one of my most interesting friends

b. You have got the most money.

“Either” usually means “one or the other”. When it is used with a noun. it is a determiner,
it cannot be used together with another determiner(the,these,my).”Either”
followed by singular noun and verb.

Come on Sunday or Monday. Either day is ok.

Either kind of school is quite suitable. “Either” is used as a pronoun, alone or with “of”
+plural noun phrase.
a. I’ve bought two cakes, you can have either.

b. Either of your parents can meet the principal.

When “Either of” is followed by a noun phrase, there must be another determiner. It is always used before a personal pronoun.

a. Either of you could do it.(Not “Either you”)

“Neither” is used before a singular noun without any determiner

Neither parent is present

Neither answer is correct.

When the noun has a determinant (the, these, my) with it, we can use “neither of”. The noun is plural. The verb can be singular or plural

a. Neither of his sisters is /are very beautiful.

“Neither of “is also used before the pronouns us, you, them

a. I chose neither of them. Which is your car?

“Neither” can be used alone, as a pronoun.

“Enough” is used in front of a plural noun or an uncountable noun

I’ve got enough copies.

There’s enough time for you.

“Enough of” is used before a determiner, but “of” is not used when there is no determiner

a. We didn’t buy enough of them.

Like most other determiners, enough can be used as a pronoun alone, without a noun.

a. Rs 100 are enough for my expenses. Enough is enough.

If “enough” qualifies an adjective or adverb, it follows the adjective or adverb, but if it qualifies a noun, it precedes it

a. Is this box big enough

b. He can read well enough

c. Have you enough money.

When “enough” is used with an adjective and a noun, two positions are positive.

a. I haven’t got big enough nails( The nails are not big enough)

b. I haven’t got enough big nails( not enough of the big nails)

The Articles (Determiners)

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“A” is used before words beginning with a consonant sound.

a boy, a dog, a man, a tiger

A European, a university, a uniform

(These words begin with a “y” sound)

“An” is used before words beginning with vowel sound

An ant, an eagle, an inkpot, an umbrella

Are M.A.,an L.C.A.,an F.R.C.S., an S.O.S call

(These words begin with “Em”,”EL”, EF”, and “ES” sound).

It is also used before a silent “h”

an hour, an heir, an honor

“A” or “An’ is used before a singular countable
common noun mentioned for the first time .It is never used with plural
Nouns. Uncountable Nouns like sugar, water, grass, sand do not take “a” or
“an”.

This is a tumbler. There is milk in it

Have you ever seen a tiger?

“The” is used before a noun or nouns which are
particularize or already mentioned in the context.

A mad dog bit a man .The dog was shot and the
man went mad.

Here is key and a lock. The key doesn’t fit the
lock.

“The” is also used before the names of rivers,
seas, Oceans, Canals, Valleys, deserts and forests.

London is on the Themes

Many ships use the Suez
Canal.

“The” is also used before the names of ships, trains,
planes ,shops hotels, theaters, government departments, factories , banks,
and musical instruments and unique objects like “the sky”, ”the sea” etc.

The I.N.S My sore, The Kovai Express , the
Ashoka hotel, The Santhi Theatre, The Ministry of Education, the
Syndicate Bank, The Violin

No article is used before proper nouns, abstract
nouns, material nouns, plural nouns in the general sense and nouns in
certain idiomatic phrases.

New Delhi, Gandhiji, Everest, Europe , SriLanka , Thirukkural ,honesty ,Poverty , silver
gold, soldiers .Indians, on foot, by bus

No article is used before the names of games, days and months, languages, seasons, sciences and places which are visited for

Cricket, Sunday, January,English,Summer, Mathematics,
Schools ,home, bed, work, market hospital, prison

They go to church on Sunday

(But “The” is used when they merely refer to the building)

They go to the church to see the paintings.

An article is always used before

Temple, mosque, shrink, office, factory, house.

“The” is not used before the words

All, half , double, or both

It must follow the
i. Both the anxious parents sat up half the night

“A” does not follow the words,” What kind of “,”What sort of”, “What type of”

What kind of day is it? (not “a day”)

“The” is not used before the words “Sun rise” and “Sunset”, when they are used with “before”,” After”, “at”

I get up before sunrise (not before the
sunrise)

“The” is used in generalization with singular
countable Nouns .This is common when we are talking about science and
technology.

Galileo invented the telescope

I hate the telephone.

“The” is used with a few adjective to refer to
general classes of people.

The rich, the blind, the Indian

If “One of”, two of” etc. is followed by noun or
pronoun the latter is preceded by “the” or some other definite determiner

One of the students, two of my books

Improve Your English!

The Other Determiners

The Articles (Determiners)