Determiners are words that give more information about it. They help us understand which noun, how many, or whose. They are always followed by a noun, never used alone. Determiners go before the noun, and before adjectives if present:
My big dog, Those red apples, Each small error. How about a quick test?
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Categories of Determiners
We can divide them into seven main categories:
1. Articles
Articles tell us if a noun is general or specific. Click here to learn all about Articles.
| Article | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a / an | Indefinite – any one of a group | I saw a dog in the park. |
| the | Definite – a specific one | The dog barked loudly. |
| (no article) | For uncountable/plural nouns | Water is essential. Dogs are friendly. |
2. Possessives
These are called Possessive Pronouns, or Possessive Determiners. They show who owns something. Always followed by a noun. Click here to learn all about Possessives.
| Person | Possessive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | This is my phone. |
| You | your | Where is your coat? |
| He | his | I found his keys. |
| She | her | That’s her bag. |
| It | its | The cat licked its paw. |
| We | our | Let’s go to our house. |
| They | their | Their car is new. |
What about the Possessive ‘s?
You probably ask yourself if genitive forms like Anna’s or the teacher’s are determiners. Technically, they are not classified as determiners, but they function like determiners in a sentence. They show possession and take the place of an article or other determiner:
- This is her desk. → Possessive determiner
- This is Anna’s desk. → Genitive noun (not a determiner, but acts like one)
Both phrases use a possessive form to introduce a noun and tell us who it belongs. Click here to learn more about the Genitive Case.
3. Demonstratives
Demonstratives show distance (near or far) and number (singular or plural). Click here to learn more about Demonstratives, pronouns and determiners, along with exercises.
| Demonstrative | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| this | singular, near | This book is interesting. |
| that | singular, far | That car is expensive. |
| these | plural, near | These shoes are new. |
| those | plural, far | Those birds are noisy. |
4. Quantifiers
Quantifiers tell us how much or how many. Some work with countable nouns, some with uncountable, and some with both. Click here to learn all about Quantifiers.
| Quantifier | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| some | both | I need some help. She bought some apples. |
| many | countable | We have many questions. |
| much | uncountable | There isn’t much sugar left. |
| a lot of / lots of | both | He has a lot of time. They own lots of books. |
| few / a few | countable | Few people came. A few cookies are left. |
| little / a little | uncountable | There is little hope. A little milk is fine. |
| all, most, no, enough | varies | All children were present. We had no trouble. |
5. Numbers
Numbers show quantity before a noun. Click here for Numbers in English.
| Number | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| one | singular | One student is absent. |
| two | plural | She has two brothers. |
| seventh | plural | They are in the seventh grade. |
6. Interrogative – Question Words
Used to ask questions about nouns. Click here to learn all about Question Words.
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| which | Which book is yours? |
| what | What time is it? |
| whose | Whose phone is this? |
7. Distributive Determiners
These refer to members of a group individually or indicate choice.
| Word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| each | individual in a group | Each student has a locker. |
| every | all members one by one | Every room has a window. |
| either | one of two | You can choose either seat. |
| neither | not one, not the other | Neither idea worked. |
Exercises
More Exercises: EltOup | GrammarBank | EnglishGrammar1 | EnglishGrammar2 | EnglishClub