Determiners

Explanation by RGS Sir

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 The Definite Article ‘The’
We can use the definite article before any common noun:

✓ He threw the ball into the river.

✓ The boys were not in the class.

We use the definite article to refer to specific persons or things:

✓ I want to meet the principal in the school.
✓ The tourists crossed the river in a boat.

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The definite article is used to refer to the
things that are only one in the world:

✓ The moon and stars were shining in

the sky.
✓ The sun sets in the west.
✓ The earth revolves round the sun.

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We use the definite article with the words such as
school, university, prison, when we are referring to a
particular building:
✓ They will visit the school on Monday.
✓ I met him in the university.
The definite article may be used with the countable
nouns that are used in the singular to refer to things
more general:
✓ If you break the law, you will be punished.
✓ He played the violin for half an hour.

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The definite article is used to refer to the parts
of the body:
✓ Smoking is harmful for the lungs.
✓ He caught him by the neck.
✓ There was an injury in the right eye.
The definite article is used with time
expressions:
✓ I met her in the evening.
✓ She came here in the morning.

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We use the definite article before something that has
already been mentioned.
✓ I met a man at the station.
✓ The man belonged to Tamil Nadu.
The definite article is used before a noun that is
followed by a relative clause or a prepositional
phrase:
✓ The man I met at the station belonged to Haryana.
✓ He put the sweater on the table.

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The definite article is used to refer to
familiar things we use regularly:
✓ She looked at the ceiling.
✓ Suddenly the lights went out.
The definite article is used before dates or
periods of time:
✓ We met on the 15th of October.
✓ It is a popular music of the 1940s.

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The definite article is generally used before a noun
which is followed by ‘of’:
✓ This led to the destruction of the whole village.
✓ The burning of houses rendered people homeless.
The definite article is used before the names of seas,
rivers, deserts, mountains,
✓ The ship crossed the Pacific Ocean.
✓ Delhi stands on the banks of the Yamuna.
✓ The Sahara is a famous desert.
✓ They came across the Himalayas.

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The definite article is used before the names of
large public buildings:
✓ They visited the Taj Mahal.
✓ They went to the Town Hall.
The definite article is used before the
superlative adjectives:
✓ He is the best boy in the class.
✓ She is the most beautiful girl in the school.

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The definite article is used before adjectives
such as rich, poor, deaf, dumb, blind, to use
them as nouns:
✓ The rich and the poor went to the fair.
✓ We should help the blind.
We use the definite article before the nationals
of a country or continent:
✓ The Indians are very religious.
✓ Some of the Europeans live here.

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We use the definite article before
the names of trains and ships:
✓ The Rajdhani Express is a very
fast train.
✓ The Queen Elizabeth is a
famous ship.

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 The Indefinite Articles-‘a’, ‘an’

The indefinite articles (‘a’, ‘an’)

are used when we talk about
people in a general or
indefinite way.

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The article ‘a’ is used before the words which begin
with consonant sounds and ‘an’ is used before the
words beginning with vowel sounds. However, some
words start with a vowel letter but begin with a
consonant sound. So we use the article ‘a’ before
these words:
✓ He is a European.
✓ This is a unique idea.
✓ Theirs is a one-parent family.
✓ He is teaching at a university.

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We use an before words which
begin with a vowel sound:

✓ The girl bought an orange.

✓ He is an Indian.
✓ He had an umbrella in his hand.

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Some words begin with a silent So we use an
before them:
✓ He is an honest man.
✓ He is an heir to the throne.
✓ I met him an hour ago.
We use ‘a’ or ‘an’ before singular countable
nouns:
✓ Kolkata is a big city.
✓ The dog is an animal.

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We use ‘a’ or ‘an’ before the
names of occupations and
professions:

✓ His father is an engineer.

✓ He is a pilot.

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When we use ‘a’ before ‘little’ and few’, there is a
change in the meaning of these words. ‘A Few’ is used
with plural countable nouns, and ‘a little’ with
uncountable nouns. ‘Few’ means not many, while ‘a
few’ means a small number. ‘Little’ means not much,
while ‘a little’ means some:
✓ Few people visit this temple now.
✓ I know a few students of this school.
✓ There is little water in the bucket.
✓ There is a little milk in the bottle.

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We use ‘a’, ‘an’ before an adjective in a noun
phrase:
✓ She is a good girl.
✓ She told me an interesting story.
We use the indefinite article before certain
nouns considered as a single unit:
✓ She bought a knife and fork.
✓ The old lady had a cup and saucer in her
hand.

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We use ‘an’ with abbreviations beginning with
the following letters: A, F, H, I, L, M, N, O, R, S,
X (They shoud have vowel sounds).

For example:
✓ His father is an M.P.
✓ He is an N.R.I.
✓ She got an X-Ray done.

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 Demonstrative Determiners

The demonstrative determiners in the English

language are this, that, these, those.

The demonstrative determiner ‘That’ (Plural-

Those) is used to avoid repetition of a
preceding noun.

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 This, That, These, Those
The rule can be understood with the help of the
following example sentences -
✓ My shorts are better than those of my
brother.
✓ Our defence academies are better than
those of Afghanistan.

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The demonstrative determiner ‘This (Plural- These)’ is
used to refer to a person/ persons or thing/ things
near to the speaker.

This, that, these and those are used before nouns and
point to the objects denoted by the nouns; as—
✓ This car is very beautiful.
✓ Aditi lives in that house.
✓ These books are yours.
✓ Distribute these mangoes among those children.

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 Note
--> ‘This’ and ‘These’ point to the objects
which are near while ‘that’ and ‘those’
point to the ‘distant’ objects.
--> ‘This’, and ‘that’ are used before
singular nouns while ‘these’ and ‘those’
are used before plural nouns.

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✓ This is the best coffee I have had.
✓ These magazines are very good.
The demonstrative determiner ‘That (Plural- Those)’
refers to a person/ persons or thing/ things far from
the speaker.
The rule can be understood with the help of the
following example sentences –
✓ Get that dog out of the house.
✓ Throw away those shoes in the garbage.

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 Possessive Determiners
The possessive determiners in the English
language are my, your, our, his, her, its, their.

These are Possessive forms of Pronouns. They

are used before Singular and Plural Nouns to
indicate relationship/possession; as—

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✓ My mother is a teacher.
✓ Our school has fifty rooms.
✓ Your father is calling you.
✓ His bag contains many objects.
✓ Her books lie scattered in the room.
✓ Their house is double-storeyed.
✓ One must do one’s duty.

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One, Two, Three,
etc. [Definite
Numeral
Determiners]
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These indicate a definite number of
objects/persons; as—

✓ The beggar is blind of one eye.

✓ She has two daughters
✓ Five boys are sitting on that
bench.

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 Note
‘Ordinal numbers’ like ‘first’, ‘second’,
“third’, … etc. refer to the position of
something in a series; as—
✓ The girl in the third row is my cousin.
✓ The man in the first room is our
warden.

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Some, Any and No
[Indefinite Numeral
Determiners]

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Some
The indefinite adjective ‘Some’ is generally used in affirmative
sentences with uncountable and plural countable nouns.
-The rule can be understood with the help of the following
example sentences –
✓ There is some proof that he is guilty.
✓ I have some good ideas on the project.

It can also be used in question where ‘Yes’ is expected as an

answer.

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Some is generally used in affirmative
sentences. No and Any are used in negative and
interrogative sentences; as—
✓ There is no post office in this colony.
✓ I have no friends in our class.
✓ We have invited some T.V. anchors to the show.
✓ There is still some milk in the jug.
✓ There isn’t any sugar in the pot.
✓ Have you any books on western music?

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Any
It is used in questions when you want to ask whether
something exists or not.
It is also used in negative sentences where we want to say
that something does not exist. E.g. –
✓ I don’t need any help.
✓ Do you have any advice on the matter?

It is also used in affirmative sentences before plural nouns and

uncountable nouns when it refers to a quantity of something
which may or may not exist.

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‘Some’ may be used in questions
indicating request or invitation; as—
✓ Will you have some tea?
✓ Will you spend some days with us?
✓ Won’t you spare some time for me?
✓ Didn’t I lend you some money yesterday?

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‘Any’ is used in interrogative
sentences to make an inquiry, as—
1. Is there any news?
2. Has the postman brought any letters for me?
3. Didn’t you buy anything from the general
store?

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 Note
A. We use ‘any’ after ‘hardly’, ‘barely’ and ‘scarcely’
(adverbs with negative meanings); as—

✓ He has hardly any money on him.

✓ There is hardly any sugar in the house.
✓ She has barely any beautiful dress.
✓ He has scarcely any friend in this new city.

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 Note
B. In case there is Some doubt, we use
‘any’ after ‘ if ’; as—
✓ If you need any help, press this
button.
✓ If you face any difficulty, don’t
hesitate to seek my help.

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 Note
‘Some’ with a countable plural noun indicates an unknown or
indefinite number while with an uncountable noun, some
means an indefinite quantity; as—

✓ Some boys were hurt in the bus accident (number)

✓ Some persons always speak ill of others. (number)
✓ I bought a note-book and some paper. (quantity)
✓ He wants a pen and some ink. (quantity)

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All and Both
[Indefinite Numeral
Determiners]

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All
All is mostly used with a plural verb when followed
by a countable plural noun.
It includes all the persons or things of a particular
kind.
Another rule for it is that it requires a singular verb
when it is followed by an uncountable noun. E.g. –
✓ All children cannot be treated in the same
manner.

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All and Both
[Indefinite Numeral Determiners]

‘All’ denotes the total of many units together while

‘Both’ shows the total of two units together; as—
✓ She gave me all the apples.
✓ All the boys are playing now.
✓ Both Ajay and Vijay are fine cricketers.
✓ Both father and mother are at home.

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Both
This determiner is mostly used to talk about two things of the
same kind. It is used to show that two persons or things are
involved rather than one and is often followed by ‘and’.

-The rule can be understood with the help of the following

example sentences-
✓ Both Ram and Rahim went out for a movie.
✓ He held oranges in both his hands.

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 Note
‘The’ is used after ‘All’ and ‘Both’ but ‘before’ ‘whole’

✓ All the girls are present in the class.

✓ Both the friends refused to part.
✓ The whole village was ruined in the fire.

2. ‘All’ is used with both countable and uncountable nouns;

as—
✓ All my books have been tom.
✓ All the milk turned sour.

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Much and Many
[Indefinite Numeral
Determiners]

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‘Much’ is used for
emphasizing on
large quantities.

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Many refer to more numbers:

A. In interrogative and negative

sentences:
✓ Did you see many persons at the
dinner?
✓ She has not solved many sums.

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B. As the subject or part of the
subject:

✓ Many have been respected and

admired.
✓ Many of us went to see the
famous actor.

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C. In the expressions—a good many, a great
many, so many, too many, how many, as many,
many a; as—
✓ I have known her for a great many years.
✓ Even if one person is hurt that is one too
many.
✓ Many a good man has been destroyed by
drink.

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In all other cases, replace many by ‘a lot of ‘a great
number’, ‘ plenty of ’; as—
✓ Have you read many books ?
✓ Yes, I have read a lot of books.
✓ No, I haven’t read a great number of books.
Much’ shows quantity and is used in the same way as
‘many’. ‘Much’ can be replaced by ‘a lot of’ ‘a great
deal of and ‘plenty of’; as—
✓ Does your cow give much milk ?
✓ Yes, she gives a lot of milk.
✓ No, she doesn’t give a great deal of milk.

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Many is followed by plural number while,
many a takes singular number after it.

The verb agrees with the noun placed

before it; as—
✓ Many Problems have come up
suddenly.
✓ Many a flower is born to blush unseen.

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Few, Less and Several
[Indefinite Numeral Determiners]

#Few emphasizes a smaller number.

#Less is used to refer to an amount that is less than
another amount.
#Several is usually used to indicate an imprecise
number that is not very large but more than two.

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“Few’ is the opposite of ‘Many’ and ‘Less’ is the
opposite of ‘Much’.
Few denotes number, while ‘Less’ denotes quantity.
‘Several’ means ‘more than two but not many.’ E.g. –
✓ We have few holidays during this term.
✓ A few persons attended the meeting.
✓ She pays less attention to her children.
✓ Several letters arrived this morning.
✓ They said goodbye and went their several ways.
(different)

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Little and Few
[Indefinite Numeral Determiners]

#Little is used to emphasize that

there is a small amount of
something
#Few emphasizes a smaller number

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‘Little’ means not
much, hardly any.
‘Few’ means not
many, hardly any.

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A. In other words ‘Little’ and ‘Few’ mean practically
nothing. ‘Little’ is used with singular countable nouns
while ‘Few’ is used with plural countable nouns; as—
✓ There is little water in the pot. (hardly any)
✓ There are few buses running.
✓ He had little money.
✓ I have few friends.
✓ There was little hope of her recovery.
✓ Few women can keep a secret.

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B. ‘A little’ and ‘A few’ make a positive sense, A little
means some quantity though not much, while ‘A few’
indicates a certain number, though not many; as—
✓ I shall return the money in a few days. (some)
✓ A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (some but
not much)
✓ She has a little money left. (some, but small
amount)
✓ He has a few books of his own. (some, but not
many)

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‘The little’ and ‘The few’ imply two
statements—One negative and the other
affirmative.
✓ She wasted the little money she had.
✓ We lost the little hope of her recovery.
✓ I have read the few books I had.
✓ She spent the few rupees her mother gave
her.

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Each, Every, Either and Neither [Distributive
Numerals]
These determiners are used to refer to all members of
a group, persons or things.
When we talk about members as individuals, we use
‘each’ and when we make a statement about all of
them we use ‘every’.
They are to be prefixed before a singular countable
noun and the verb attached with them should be
singular.

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Either and Neither

These determiners usually refer to two persons

or things but show that one out of the two is
or is not involved in a situation.
Neither is used mostly with singular nouns and
by either, it can mean both of two things
especially when it is used with ‘end’ or ’side’.

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Each’ is used for two or
more persons (definite)
while ‘every’ is used for
more than two persons or
things, (indefinite).

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‘Either’ means ‘any one of the two’, ‘Neither’ means ‘not any
one of the two’; as—
✓ Each student has a book of his own.
✓ Each person must take his turn.
✓ I play hockey every day.
✓ India expects every man to do his best.
✓ Either book will do.
✓ I have two pens. You may have either.
✓ Take either road whichever you prefer.
✓ Neither statement is true.
✓ Neither party was willing to quit.

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Riteish Gopal Sharma [RGS Sir] Email: englishbyrgs@gmail.com Call/Whatsapp - +91 7499 888 280