DETERMINERS AND
QUANTIFIERS
What is a determiner?
A determiner is a word which identifies the noun
or noun phrase that is being referred to in a
sentence.
Example: My first trip to the beach was quite
exciting.
Here, the word ‘my’ is a determiner as it points
out the noun or noun phrase ‘first trip’.
TYPES OF DETERMINERS
1. Articles
2. Demonstratives
3. Possessives
4. Distributives
5. Quantifiers
6. Interrrogatives
1. ARTICLES
(a, an, the)
They are used before noun or noun phrases.
Example:
I saw a buffalo and an elephant on a farm.
What is the name of the new girl in the class?
‘A’ is used before a consonant sound; ‘An’ is used before
a vowel; ‘The’ is used to point at a particular thing.
2. DEMONSTRATIVES
(this, that, these, those)
‘This’ and ‘That’ are used before single countable and
uncountable nouns, or before noun phrases; whereas
‘These’ and ‘Those’ are used before plural noun and
noun phrases.
Example:
This handbag may be allowed in the cabin; but that
luggage is too bulky.
Pollen from these flowers were picked by those
butterflies
3. POSSESSIVES
(my, your, our, his, her, its, their, one’s)
It shows ‘who’ or ‘what’ owns something. They
are used before noun or noun phrases.
Example:
Your dance was more appreciated than our song.
My house is far away from the market
Demonstrative and
Possessive Pronouns are
placed in place of noun or
noun phrases, whereas
Determiners are placed
before noun or noun
phrases.
4. DISTRIBUTIVES
(either, neither, each and every)
It refers to a group of people or things, or to individual
members of the group.
1. Either is used to indicate or two options or both.
Example: Either of us have to do the task.
2. Neither is used to show that none of the options are
acceptable.
Example: Neither of these fruits are cut in shape.
3. ‘Each’ is used when we refer to individual members
of the group
Example: Each child was given a notebook.
4. ‘Every’ is used when we refer to the group as a
whole.
Example: Every group was invited to the party.
5. INTERROGATIVES
(what, which, whose, how much, how many)
They are used for asking questions.
‘How much’ is generally used Other Examples:
with uncountable nouns or Which girl has been chosen
quantity. for the job?
Example: How much money
was there in the wallet? Whose turn is it?
‘How many’ is used before What is your opinion on this
countable noun subject?
Example: How many people
participated in the contest?
6. QUANTIFIERS
(some, any, much, many, several,
a lot of, enough, a few, little, a little,
the few, the little, the few )
They denote numbers (how many) or quantity (how
much). They can be used with both countable and
uncountable nouns.
Some numeral quantifiers are: several, many, a few
Example:
Several questions were asked by them.
Many books were kept on the table.
Some determiners of quantity are: some, enough, any, much,
little etc.
Example:
He asked me to give some advice on the topic.
On some days, I wake up feeling lazy.
Here, some is used with both ‘advice’ which is an uncountable
noun and the countable noun ‘days’
Several men gathered at the event. (the word ‘men’ here is
an uncountable noun as it refers to everyone who was
present there.
Much of the work was done by mother. (‘work’ is an
uncountable noun here)
There is enough sticky food on the table.
e b etw e en ‘ A
Dif f er en c ’
W ’ a n d ‘ F E W
F E A LIT TLE ’
T T LE ’ a nd ‘
‘LI
Rem em b er
this!
r enc e bet w een
Dif fe
‘M U CH ’
and
‘MA N Y ’
ASSIGNMENT
Choose the correct answer.
1. Is there _____ ink in the bottle?
a) any b) many c) more d) little
2. Would you like to buy _____ clothes?
a) this b) those c) that d) his
3. There is not _____ sugar in the bowl.
a) any b) little c) much d) many
4. Our soldiers are better equipped than _____ of Pakistan.
a) that b) those c) some d) many
5. “The most profitable business in the area now is granite”, said ___ weaver.
a) the b) a c) an d) any
ASSIGNMENT
Fill in the blank/s with appropriate determiner/s.
1. How _____ do these bananas cost?
2. According to the studies, dolphins, whales and ___ other sea creatures use
highly sophisticated navigation systems.
3. The waiter asked if ____ of us wanted breakfast.
4. The storm continued for ____ of the days when we were in New Orleans,
but fortunately there wasn't _____ damage in the city.
5. ________ child needs love and care.
6. I could not finish the work as I had _________ time on my hands.
7. She bought _______ books at the book fair yesterday.
8. She admitted that she had _______ information.
9. Has _____ one of you been to Shirdi?
10. .Can you please speak ______ louder?
