Determiners

Determiners are words that introduce nouns and specify them.

There are several different types of determiners in the English language. The articles a, an and the also specify nouns. Therefore, they are determiners. Let us look at some adjectives that function as determiners.

This, that, these and those

• We use this and that with singular nouns.
  For example :
  • this pen
  • that boy
• We use these and those with plural nouns.
  For example :
  • these apples
  • those stars
• This and these refer to things near in terms of place and time.
  For example :
  • this pen (here)
  • these tables (here)
• That and those refer to things further away in terms of place and time.
  For example :
  • that shop (there)
  • those days (then)

Some

• Some is used with uncountable as well as countable nouns.
  For example :
  • I want some butter.
  • Some boys were at the door.
• Some is usually used in questions when we expect the answer to be yes.
  For example :
  • Do you have some paper?
  • Can I have some lemonade, please?
  • Would you like to have some tea?

Any

• Any is usually used in questions when we expect the answer to be no.
  For example :
  • Do you have any paper?
  • Is there any food in the fridge?
  • Do you have any fresh vegetables?
• Any is generally used in negative sentences.
  For example :
  • I don't have any clothes to wear.
  • I don't have any money to buy the uniform.
  • She doesn't have any books to read.

Few/a few and little/a little

A few and a little refer to small quantities.

• A few goes before the plural number of nouns, while a little goes before uncountable nouns.
  For example :
  • I bought a few toys for the children.
  • I had a little money in the bank.
• Few and little without a have a negative meaning. They mean hardly any.
  For example :
  • There was little traffic on the roads this Sunday.
  • There are few cars on the road.

Much and many

Much and many signify large quantities.

• Many goes before a plural noun.
  For example :
  • There are many books on this shelf.
  • Grandma tells us many stories of her childhood.
• Much goes before an uncountable noun.
  For example :
  • There isn't much milk left.
  • Zoya has too much work today.

Each other is used for two. One another is used for more then two.