Determiners

Those words that are used before a noun to determine or fix it meaning are known as determiner.

Many people went to welcome Prime Minister.
We need more information.
He finds less time for his hobbies.

In the above examples the words in bold are determiners as they fix the meaning  of the noun in the sentences.

Determiners can be classified into four main categories as given ahead:-

1. Articles

The words “a/an” and “the” are called Articles. These words are usually used before a noun.

There are two type of articles:-

1. Definite Article
2. Indefinite Article

a. Definite Article

Definite articles are those articles that usually point out a particular person or thing.

1. He saw the player.

In the above given example “the player” means a particular player.

The definite article can be used before singular as well as plural countable noun. It can also be used before an uncountable noun.

b. Indefinite Article

Indefinite articles are those articles that usually leave indefinite the person or thing spoken of.

1. He is a doctor.
2. I have  an umbrella

In the above examples “a” and “an” are indefinite articles that are representing any doctor or any kind of umbrella.

“a” is used before a noun that begins with a consonants sound.

1. He is a boy.
2. I am a teacher.
3. I have taken a coconut.

In the above examples “a” is used before the consonant sounds of boy, teacher, and coconut.

“An” is used before a noun that begins with a vowel sound. 

1. I have an umbrella.
2. He is an honest mane

In the above examples “an” is used before the vowel sounds of umbrella and honest.

2. Demonstratives

The words like this, that, these and those are known as demonstrative determiners.

3. Possessives

The words like my, our, your, his, her, its , their, Mohan’s, Lion’s etc are  known as possessive determiners.

4. Indefinite adjectives

The words like some, any, much, many, little, few and less etc are put in indefinite adjective determiners category.

5. Others

The word like one, two, first, second, both, several, each, every, next, other etc which are not covered in any of the above category of determiners are considers over here.

Practice exercises for determiners

• Exercise 1
• Exercise 2
• Exercise 3