DETERMINERS & QUANTIFIERS

DETERMINERS

Determiners modify nouns by setting a limitation over the nouns to indicate how specific or general they are. A determiner usually appears at the beginning of the noun phrases and works as an adjective to modify the nouns. However, determiners are not necessary for every noun phrase.

Determiners include:

a. The definite article: the

Example:

Give me the book I read to you yesterday. (Specific book)

I want the pencil you borrowed yesterday.

b. The indefinite articles: a, an

Example:

Give me a book from the shelf. (A general/random book from a specific shelf)

I want an apple.

c. The possessives: my, your, his, her, our, their,  its,  whose

Example:

My car is parked outside. (Specific car)

His house is near the bridge.

d. The demonstratives: this, that, these, those

Example:

This is my book.

That house belongs to me.

Those ducks are beautiful.

e. Interrogatives: which, what

Example:

Which car do you want to buy?

What product do you use?

QUANTIFIERS

Quantifiers are also determiners which modify a noun to indicate its quantity. The quantifiers are any, all, many, much, most, some, a few, and a lot of, a little, a large amount of, none, and the cardinal numbers [one, two, three, four], etc.

Example:

I have some money but not a lot of it.

Many people died in that calamity.

EXAMPLES OF QUANTIFIERS:

I saw few people in the program.

Jack has many friends here.

I have written articles on several

Jeff went to many places regarding this project.

There was a lot of people in the concert.

Alice had some fruits only.

Lisa has much knowledge about this topic.

We have enough food in the refrigerator.

I am a bit busy.

Merry drank a little water.

Try to have some patience.

Rick has much experience.

Peter has few friends.

I asked Tom several times about it.

We bought many things from the shop.

They had a lot of fun in the party.

You can take any of the books.

Give me some water.

Aric has enough patience.

Jim had some work there.

TYPES OF QUANTIFIERS:

There are mainly three types of quantifiers:

Note: There are some rules for using determiners and quantifiers. Some of them can be used only with countable nouns and some of them with uncountable nouns while others can be used with either of them. Here is a chart for the determiners to be used with countable or uncountable nouns.

QUANTIFIERS FOR COUNTABLE NOUNS

Definition of Quantifiers for countable nouns:

These quantifiers quantify only the countable nouns. These are few, many, a number of, several, etc.

Examples of Quantifiers for countable nouns:

Jack mentioned few things during the discussion.

I bought many commodities from the fair.

A number of people supported Jim in the meeting.

Rick asked several questions.

Few people attended the program.

Tom traveled to many countries.

We visited many places during the vacation.

I liked a number of books in the book fair.

Alice had been to that place several times.

I have bought several dresses from this shop.

Many people liked this movie.

A number of people opposed this matter.

You have to remember few things.

Bob forbid Jim several times to go there.

Aric has many friends on the varsity.

Several issues were discussed in the meeting.

Ann has been living in this place for many years.

I have several works to do.

Suzan read few books on this topic.

I saw a number of guava trees in the garden.

QUANTIFIERS FOR UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS

Definition of Quantifiers for uncountable nouns:

These quantifiers quantify only the uncountable nouns.

Examples of Quantifiers for uncountable nouns:

Jeff is a bit tired.

Jim has much patience.

Alice had a little juice and nothing else.

We have much time to complete the project.

David has much experience.

Dana is a bit anxious.

Scaly is a bit busy.

Allen is much talented.

Alana was a little worried.

Give me a little water.

This film was much awaited.

Peter has much wealth.

Wait a bit! I am coming.

Jack is a bit worried.

Put a little salt in the curry.

There is a little water in the bottle.

You are looking a little exhausted.

Paul is much happy.

Tom has much power.

Be a little patient.

With Countable Nouns	With Uncountable Nouns
a/an, the this, that, these, those none, one, two, three,. . . . . . many a (great/large) number of a few few fewer . . . . than a lot of some any	the this, that none much (in negatives or questions) a large amount of a little little less . . . . than a lot of some any

QUANTIFIERS FOR BOTH COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE

Definition of Quantifiers for both countable and uncountable nouns:

These quantifiers quantify not only countable nouns but also uncountable nouns.

Examples of Quantifiers for both countable and uncountable nouns:

We had a lot of fun in the picnic.

There was a lot of people in the gallery.

Some people were shouting there.

Have some patience.

We have enough time in our hand.

Bill has enough experience of editing.

All the people were so excited.

All the water of the pond has become poisonous.

You can take any of the gifts.

Do you have any experience?

There is a lot of commodities in the shop.

Rick has some experience in marketing.

Peter mentioned some points during the discussion.

Any of the students can come.

Do you have any idea about it?

I met with a lot of people in the program.

Alice had a lot of excitement to be there.

Some people are against this movie.

Bring me some water.

All the topics are so interesting.