1. Determiners and
Quantifiers
Determiners are words that we put before nouns or noun phrases
to make them clear as to what they mean. A determiner tells us which or how
many persons/things we are talking about. For example, when we say his big
house, we are describing one house which is not small and it belongs
to him. Or when we say those tall trees, we mean more than one
tree and they are not short, and the trees are not here but over
there. Examples of most common determiners are the which is known as
the Definite Determiner, and a and an which are the Indefinite
Determiners.
Quantifiers answer the following two
questions:
- How much?
– this is used with only uncountable nouns. The words used with
uncountable nouns are: a little, a bit of, much, a
great deal of, and a large amount of.
EXAMPLE:
What you need is to put a little more salt to make it taste like soup.
There is a bit of broken glass under the chair.
I haven't brought much money with me.
A great deal of her work is massaging the back of patients.
The drugs were sold for a large amount of hard cash.
- How many?
– this is used with countable nouns. The words used with countable
nouns are: a, an, one, each, every, both,
a couple of, a few, several, many, a number
of, a large number of, and a great number of.
- Quantifiers
can be used with countable or uncountable nouns with
such words as: no, any, some, plenty of, a
lot of, lots of, most, and all.
EXAMPLE: There is a lot of work I have to do this week.
(Uncountable noun)
EXAMPLE: There were a lot of people watching the cockfight.
(Countable noun)
Besides the common determiners like
the articles stated above, there are other determiners such as: some, any,
that, those, this, whatever, and whichever.
There are also determiners that express quantity: few, little, both,
each, every, all, many, several, enough,
and no. Other determiners include numerals which appear before a noun,
and ordinal numerals which express sequence: Examples of these are: one,
two, ten and first, second, third.
2. Classes of Determiners
Determiners are classified as follow:
Definite and Indefinite articles: the, a, an
Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
Possessives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Quantifiers: a few, a little, much, many, a lot of, most, some, any,
enough, etc.
Numbers: one, ten, thirty, etc.
Distributives: all, both, half, either, neither, each, every
Difference words: other, another
Interrogatives: which, what, whose
Defining words: which, whose
3. Determiners and
Pronouns
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A clear understanding of determiners
and how they are used is important in order not to confuse with pronouns.
The following examples illustrate the differences between them.
Determiner
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Pronoun
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This car is very expensive.
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This is a very expensive car.
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That castle is haunted.
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That is a haunted castle.
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The blue parrot is mine.
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My parrot is blue. (Possessive pronoun)
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The candy bar in the box is hers.
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Her candy bar is in the box. (Possessive pronoun)
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As can be easily noticed, the
determiner always appears before a noun while a pronoun takes the place
of a noun.
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Some quantifiers can be used with
countable nouns, some with uncountable nouns and some with both countable
and uncountable
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4. SOME andANY
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- Some
is used in positive sentences. Any is used for negative
sentences.
EXAMPLE: I have some peanuts for the monkeys.
EXAMPLE: I don't have any peanuts for the monkeys.
- We use some for questions with possible yes
answers, and any for questions whose answers are uncertain.
EXAMPLE: Do you want some medicine for your cough?
EXAMPLE: Is there any medicine for my cough?
- Sometimes, we can use some and any
instead of a/an when referring to quantity.
EXAMPLE: Is there a bird in that tree? Are there any
birds in that tree?
EXAMPLE: There is an egg in the nest. There are some
eggs in the nest.
- We can choose not to use some and any when
referring to quantity.
EXAMPLE: There is some coffee for you. = There is coffee
for you.
EXAMPLE: Are there any apples in the fridge? = Are there apples
in the fridge?
- Some
and any are used with countable nouns.
EXAMPLE: There are some letters for you.
EXAMPLE: Are there any letters in the mailbox?
- Some and
any are used with uncountable nouns.
EXAMPLE: There is some tea in the pot.
EXAMPLE: Is there any tea in the pot?
- Some
and any can be used without adding nouns if it is understood what
is meant.
EXAMPLE: I can give you some. / Sorry, I don't have any
to lend you.
- Some
and any have other uses.
EXAMPLE: I have not seen a kangaroo for some years.
EXAMPLE: Any idea you have must not be ridiculous.
- Some
is not normally used in descriptions.
EXAMPLE: He's got dark hair on his chest. (NOT: He's got
some dark hair on his chest.)
- We do not use some to identify people or
things.
EXAMPLE: Adam and Eve are family doctors. (NOT: Adam and
Eve are some family doctors.)
- We can use some in questions.
EXAMPLE: Do you want some pineapple juice? (Uncountable
noun)
EXAMPLE: Did you buy some scented flowers? (Countable
noun)
- Some
can be used on its own, somewhat like a pronoun.
EXAMPLE: Most in the audience were enjoying the performance, but some
were sleeping.
- Any can
be used in positive statements.
5. FEW, A FEW,
LITTLE and A LITTLE
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Few and a few are used with plural countable
nouns: few coconuts, a few coconuts. Little and a
little are used with uncountable nouns: little oil, a
little oil.
- Few
and little are regarded as negative. When used, they
imply scarcely any is available, almost none.
EXAMPLE: I have few clothes. / I have got little
money. (= I have almost no clothes or money.)
- A few
and a little describe a quantity that is viewed in a positive
way, and as having some, but enough.
EXAMPLE: I have a few books. / I have got a little
time. (= I still have some books or time.)
- We use a few with plural countable nouns,
and a little with singular uncountable nouns.
EXAMPLE: Only a little water is left in the trough for a
few pigs to drink.
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EXAMPLE: You can borrow any of my tools.
- We can use any in interrogative sentences.
EXAMPLE: Are there any problems with your work?
- Any can
be used in a sentence with if.
EXAMPLE: If you had any brain, you wouldn't have
done it.
- Much
is used with singular uncountable nouns, and many is
used with plural countable nouns.
EXAMPLE: Don't put so much salt on your chips!
EXAMPLE: I saw many monkeys in the zoo.
- Much
and many can be used in negative sentences.
EXAMPLE: We don't earn much working here.
EXAMPLE: He doesn't have many fish in his aquarium.
- Much and
many can be used in question forms.
EXAMPLE: How much money do I owe you?
EXAMPLE: How many books have you read this year?
- We use much or many in short negative
forms without nouns in reply to questions.
EXAMPLE: Did you cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted
water? No, not much.
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7. EACH and EVERY
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Each and every have basically the same meaning.
- We use each when we are thinking of all
people or things but seen as individuals. When we use every (person),
we mean all (people, i.e. everyone).
EXAMPLE: Each person has two ears and a nose.
EXAMPLE: Every child deserves good education.
- Each and
every are used to refer to more than two.
EXAMPLE: Each member at the meeting had a free lunch.
EXAMPLE: Every member at the meeting had a free lunch.
- Each
can be used to mean only two while every can mean three or more
or a large number.
EXAMPLE: Each player playing in the singles final has
certain style. (= two players)
EXAMPLE: There were cars parked along every street in town.
(= all the streets)
- Each/every
is used before a singular countable noun to talk about a whole
group.
EXAMPLE: Each/every member of the gang was
questioned for possible involvement in the crime.
- We use of after each but not after every.
EXAMPLE: Each of the areas is given a postal code. / Each
one of the areas is given a postal code.
EXAMPLE: Every of the areas is given a postal code. (INCORRECT)
- Each
can be used in the middle of a sentence or after a pronoun.
EXAMPLE: After the bitter quarrel, my girlfriend and I each went
our separate ways.
- Every
can be used with some uncountable nouns.
EXAMPLE: He gave me every advice before I went for that
climb.
8. EACH ONE,
EVERY ONE, ANY ONE and ANOTHER ONE
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- We use one of
after each, every, any, another.
EXAMPLE: Each one of these apples is rotten.
EXAMPLE: Every one of the rooms was infested with
cockroaches.
- Every one [two words] is an expression
of quantity. It can be used about any person or thing and is
always used with an of.
EXAMPLE: Every one of the residents in this
neighbourhood owns their own home.
- Everyone [one word] is an indefinite
pronoun. It is only used about people and can never be followed
by of.
EXAMPLE: Everyone, except me, has taken their bath.
- Any is a determiner. Any
one [two words] is used to refer to each one or all students of
the class.
EXAMPLE: Any one who sleeps in class will be sent
home.
- Anyone [one word] used is a pronoun,
and it refers to any person in the world.
EXAMPLE: Anyone who still believes the world is flat
should think again.
- Another is a determiner. Another
one refers to an additional person.
EXAMPLE: Look! Another ostrich burying its head in the
sand. / You can have another one joined your group
9. THIS, THAT,
THESE and THOSE
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- This and these are
used to refer to people or things that are close to us, and that
and those are used to talk about people or things that
are not near to us.
EXAMPLE: Look at this photo of the sun rising . /
I'll speak to that policeman over there.
- This and these are
used for an action that is still going on. We use that and those
to say about things that are finished.
EXAMPLE: Why are you telling me all this? / Listen
to these voices, and tell me who they belong to.
EXAMPLE: Let's play that piece of music again. / Those
strange noises came from the roof.
- This/these is used
for introduction and that/those for identification.
EXAMPLE: This is my best friend Colonel Sanders. / These
are my twin brothers Laurel and Hardy.
EXAMPLE: That dog is a German shepherd.
EXAMPLE: Those that are flying around at night are a
species of bat.
- This, that, these
and those can be used without adding nouns if the meaning
is clear.
EXAMPLE: I hate this. / Stop pushing these. /
Look at that. / Those were tricky.
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10. A LOT OF and
LOTS OF
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- A lot of
and lots of mean the same.
EXAMPLE: I don't have a lot of money. / I don't have lots
of money.
- A lot of
and lots of can be used for singular uncountable nouns or plural
countable nouns.
EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of sand has got into my
shoes. (Uncountable nouns)
EXAMPLE: I can eat a lot f/lots of grapes when I want
to. (Countable nouns)
- When we use a lot of/lots of with a
plural subject, we use a plural verb.
EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of replies were
received in response to her advertisement.
- When we use a lot of/lots of with a
singular subject, we use a singular verb.
EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of false information was
given to the tax authorities.
- We use a lot of/lots of in positive
statements.
EXAMPLE: We had a lot of/lots of fun at the
funfair.
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11. ANOTHER and
OTHER
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Another is used with singular nouns.
Another is used to refer to:
- an additional person or thing of the same kind.
EXAMPLE: You can have another pizza if you haven't had
enough.
- a different person or thing
EXAMPLE: if this doesn't work, you have to find another method
for resolving the disputes.
Other is used to refer to:
- all people or things that are not the particular one
being mentioned.
EXAMPLE: The football match may be postponed but the other
sporting events are taking place.
- more people or things in addition to the one being
mentioned.
EXAMPLE: You have seen this antique shop but there are at least
three other antique shops nearby.
- people or things which are different from the ones
being mentioned.
EXAMPLE: Drowning rats is just one way to eliminate them but
there are other ways.
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12. BOTH and BOTH
THE
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- Both
and both the are used in the same way in reference to two
particular persons or things.
EXAMPLE: Both books discuss the possibility of third world
war.
EXAMPLE: Both the books discuss the possibility of third world
war.
- Both is
used after an auxiliary verb, or after an auxiliary verb but before the
main verb.
EXAMPLE: We are both regular partners in tennis.
EXAMPLE: They have both started to learn English together.
- Both
is used after a modal (e.g. can, could, may, might, etc.)
EXAMPLE: They can both speak five languages.
- Both
is used before the main verb
EXAMPLE: The pythons both escaped from their cage late
last night.
- Both is
used as subject in a sentence.
EXAMPLE: Both of us have been quarrelling since this
morning.
- Both
is used as object in a sentence.
EXAMPLE: I think I have fallen in love with both of you.
- We can use of or without of after both
when we are specific about what or who we are referring to.
EXAMPLE: We recognize both of the men responsible for the
crime.
EXAMPLE: We recognize both the men responsible for the crime.
EXAMPLE: We recognize both men responsible for the crime.
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13. SOMEBODY,
SOMEONE, ANYBODY and ANYONE
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- There is no difference in meaning between somebody
and someone, and between anybody and anyone.
EXAMPLE: There is somebody/someone at the door
asking for donation.
EXAMPLE: Anybody/anyone can boil an egg.
- When we use anybody and anyone, we are
not being specific about who.
EXAMPLE: It's an easy game to play. Anybody/anyone
can play it.
14. EVERYBODY,
EVERYONE, NOBODY and NO ONE
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- We use a singular verb after everybody, everyone,
nobody and no one.
EXAMPLE: Everybody/everyone is beginning to feel
very drunk after heavy drinking.
EXAMPLE: I want to sing a song but worried (that) nobody/no
one wants to listen.
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15. ANYTHING and
ANYWHERE
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- In using anything and anywhere, we
are not specific about what or where.
EXAMPLE: I am so hungry that I can eat anything for
lunch.
EXAMPLE: We can sit anywhere you like.
- We can use anything and anywhere for
negative statements.
EXAMPLE: We don't know anything about the murder in the
neighbourhood.
EXAMPLE: We didn't go anywhere yesterday.
- Enough is placed before
singular uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns in a sentence.
EXAMPLE: She has not enough olive oil to cook her
favourite dish.
EXAMPLE: There aren't enough chairs for everyone, so I sit
on the floor.
- We put enough after
adjectives and adverbs in a sentence.
EXAMPLE: We think she is beautiful enough to win the
beauty contest.
EXAMPLE: I couldn't pluck those pears as I couldn't jump high enough.
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