Determiners
‘Determiner’ is a general term for words which are used before nouns to show which
person or thing is being referred to. Determiners of quantity are used to describe how much or little of something there is.
a complete a large a small zero
amount amount amount amount ➝
all many enough a few no
every much few neither
each most several
both a little
little
The following determiners must only be used with countable nouns in the plural:
We don’t get
many tourists here. We get
several letters a week.
Hold on with
both hands. I take
fewer trips abroad these days.
We’ve invited
a few friends to dinner. So
few people attended.
Note: Few has a negative meaning, and means ‘almost no’. A fewhas a positive
meaning and means ‘some’.
The following determiners must only be used with uncountable nouns:
Will it take
much time? I had
less money than I thought.
Add
a little salt. We get so little light in this room.
Note: Little has a negative meaning, and means ‘almost no’. A little has a positive
meaning and means ‘some’.
The following determiners can be used with countable nouns in the plural and with uncountable nouns:
Kim’s got
more bags
than me. Kim’s got
more luggage
than me.
Most items of jewellery are made from gold.
Most gold is used to make jewellery.
All children should receive education.
All meat is rich in protein.
Do you have
enough clothes? We don’t have
enough furniture.
He left
no instructions. There’s
no ice in the fridge.
The following determiners must be used with singular countable nouns:
He checked
each document carefully.
Every child needs affection.
If you follow one determiner with another determiner (such as the or this) you
usually put of between them:
Take
some bread. Take
some of the bread.
Every and
no cannot be used with of. Every one of or none of is used instead.
Every tree is marked with a cross
Every one of the young trees is marked with a cross.
We have
no accurate information.
None of this information is accurate.
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TOPIC :
Determiners SOURCE :
Linguistic Studies ** http://languages.forumactif.org/