1.3.

The Determiner

Determiners are usually the first element in a noun phrase. In traditional grammar, the
category of determiner didn´t appear (instead, these words were referred to as adjectives).
However, these words don‟t behave exactly as adjectives (they resemble more the article).
In modern grammars, the term determiner is used for words with the following
characteristics:
 Form: They are closed-class (or invariable) words.
 Position: They are usually placed before ordinary adjectives in a Noun Phrase.
 Function: Used to determine or limit the Head in a Noun Phrase.

Even though there‟s no limit to the number of determiners in a Noun Phrase, most are
mutually exclusive (*the my father).

According to the their position within the Noun Phrase, determiners can be subdivided in three
different groups:
1. Central (or main) determiners (all of them mutually exclusive):
 Articles (studied in the previous unit)
 Demonstratives
 Possessives (studied in the following unit)
 Distributives: each, every, either, neither
 Some quantifiers: some, any…
2. Post-determiners (can be combined with a central determiner, AFTER IT):
 Numerals, “last” and “next”.
 Some quantifiers: many, much, more, most, few, little…
 “other” and “another”.
3. Pre-determiners (can be combined with a central determiner, BEFORE IT):
 “all”, “both”, “half”
 “Double”, “once”, “twice”, and other multiplier expressions.
 “Such” and “what” in exclamations

Central determiners:

 Demonstratives (this, that, these, those):

The demonstratives (this, that, these and those) show where an object or person is in relation
to the speaker:
- This (singular) and these (plural) refer to an object or person near the speaker.
- That (singular) and those (plural) refer to an object or person further away.

The distance implied can be either a physical or psychological closeness. A sense of relative
distance (in time and space) can be conveyed through the choice of these pronouns:

Who owns that house? (physical distant)

That's nothing to do with me. (psychological distant)

These (pancakes sitting here now on my plate) are delicious.

Those (pancakes that I had yesterday morning) were even better.

Function and position of the demonstratives

Demonstratives can be used as:

a) Adjectives, preceding a noun or before the word “one”:
This car looks cleaner than that one.
▪ before an ordinary adjective + noun:
This old world keeps turning round.
▪ alone when the noun is 'understood'.
I'll never forget this.
b) Pronouns, without nouns: they identify or point to nouns elided in the present
sentence.
That is incredible! (referring to something you just saw)
I will never forget this. (referring to a recent experience)

 Distributives (each, every, either, neither)

These distributive words are normally used with singular nouns, and are placed before the
noun. Each, either and neither can be used with plural nouns, with another determiner (an
article) or a personal pronoun, but must be followed by “of”.
Each of the students will be tested at the end of the course.
Neither of them could visit their families for Christmas.

Each is a way of seeing the members of a group as individuals. It usually precedes the noun
in the subject, it can also follow an object (direct or indirect), and sometimes (in expressions
referring to amounts and quantities) appear at the end of a clause.
 Each child received a present. (before the Head of the subject)
Each of the children received a present. (before the Head of the Subject)
I sent the secretaries each a Christmas card. (after the Indirect Object)
They cost 3.50€ each. (at the end, referring to quantity)
I bought the girls two ice-creams each. (at the end, referring to quantity)

Every is a way of seeing a group as a series of members. It is used before a plural noun in
expressions that refer to the completeness of that group or class of things. It is also used to
refer to frequency and times or to express different points in a series, especially with time
expressions:

Every child in the world deserves affection. (complete group)

I see her every few days. (frecuency)
Every third morning John goes jogging. (point in a time series)
This magazine is published every other week. (point in a time series)

Every and each are often interchangeable when they refer to three or more of something:
They checked each/every table before the guests arrived.

However, we tend to use every for large numbers and each (not every) to refer to only two
things:
She had to greet every person in the room. (many people)
Did you examine each side of the coin? (two sides)

Either and neither are concerned with distribution between two people or things.
Either is positive (=“one or the other of two”) and neither is negative. (= “not one and not
the other (of two)”). We use either…or/neither…or to talk about a choice between two
possibilities (and sometimes more than two). We often balance this structure, so that the
same kind of word or expressions follow either…or.

Which chair do you want? Either chair will do.

Neither chair is any good, they're both too small.

He’s either in London or in New York.

She likes neither the sweet flavours nor the acid ones.

Either of/neither of is follow by a plural noun/pronoun. A verb after either of is more often
singular, but it can sometimes be plural in an informal style.
There are two chairs here. You can take either of them.
 Either of the children is perfectly capable of looking after the baby.

We use either in questions and negative statements. Neither is in itself negative (meaning
“not either”) so it doesn‟t need a negative sentence. We use neither in formal and written
English. In formal contexts, we often prefer not… either.
They didn’t like either film. (=They liked neither film)

Everyone, Everybody and Everything

These are used as pronouns and are used with singular verbs, like every. Everyone and
everybody followed by a singular verb are preferred to all (the) people. There is no
difference between everyone and everybody.
Everyone is ready to start.

Everything followed by a singular verb is also preferred to all (the) things.

Everything has been destroyed by the hurricane.

 The quantifiers “some”, “any” and “no”

Some and any are used with countable and uncountable nouns, to describe an indefinite or
incomplete quantity. Some is used to introduce new information and to suggest an indefinite
quantity, but not a large amount:

He’s got some money. (new information)

I taught them some vocabulary. (indefinite quantity)

We use some before plural and uncountable nouns, in affirmative statements:

I had some rice for lunch

He's got some books from the library.

It is also used in questions where we are sure about the answer, in questions which expect or
encourage the answer „yes‟.
Did he give you some tea? (= I'm sure he did.)
Is there some fruit juice in the fridge? (= I think there is)
Some is used in situations where the question is not a request for information, but a method
of making a request, encouraging or giving an invitation.
Would you like some sugar?
Why don't you take some books home with you?

Before plural or uncountable nouns, we use any in questions to ask about the existence of
something. We also use any after negative forms of the verb to indicate the non-existence of
something.
Have you got any tea?
He didn't give me any tea.
I don't think we've got any coffee left.

Any can also be used in positive statements to mean 'no matter which', 'no matter who',
'no matter what'.
You can borrow any of my books.

We can use no instead of not… any. We tend to prefer no to not… any in formal and written
English, and we have to use no as the subject of the verb.
He has no interest in education (=He doesn‟t have any interest…)
No students offered to help with the cleaning. (Subject)

Compound Nouns made with Some, Any, and No:

Some, any and no can be followed by –thing, -body, -one, -where to form compound
nouns which are used the same way as some and any. When these words are subjects they
are used with singular verbs:
Everybody likes her.
Is everything ready?

Following the rules explained for some and any, they can be used in affirmative statements,
Someone is sleeping in my bed.
I left my glasses somewhere in the house.

questions,
Are you looking for someone? (= I'm sure you are)
Is there anything to eat? (real question)

and negative statements:

She didn't go anywhere last night.
He doesn't know anybody here.
Notice that there is a difference in emphasis between nothing, nobody, etc. and not ...
anything, not ... anybody:
I don't know anything about it. (= neutral, no emphasis)
I know nothing about it (= more emphatic, maybe defensive)

Any, anything, anybody can also be used in positive statements to mean 'no matter
which', 'no matter who', 'no matter what':
They can choose anything from the menu.
You may invite anybody to dinner, I don't mind.

Post-determiners:

 Numerals, “last” and “next”

Cardinal and ordinal numbers, last and next can be combined with central determiners and
pronouns. Their position will be between the determiner/pronoun and the Noun:
My first job was as a hairdresser.
Those two houses need painting.
Our last meeting was somehow strange.

 The quantifiers “much”, “many” and “a lot of”

Many, much, and a lot of are adjectives and pronouns that describe quantity. Much is used
with uncountable nouns, many is used with plurals or countable nouns, and a lot of with
singular, plural, countable or uncountable nouns.
I haven’t got much time.
I don’t know many people.
A lot of soft drinks contain sugar substitutes.

Much and many can be used in negative, interrogative or affirmative sentences. A lot of is
used mainly in affirmative sentences though it can appear in questions and negative
sentences to give extra emphasis to the amount.
How much money have you got?
How many cigarettes have you smoked?
 Do they have a lot of friends? (= “many friends”, emphatic)

There weren't many people at the concert.

I don’t have a lot of time (=”much time”, emphatic)

Much and many can be also used after so, too and how to emphasize the quantity
expressed.

There were too many people at the concert - we couldn't see the band.
It's a problem when there are so many people.
You are wasting too much time.
Tell me how many people have arrived.

 The quantifiers “A few”, “few”, “a little” and “little”

These expressions show the speaker‟s attitude towards the quantity he/she is referring to.
We use:
(a) few with plural or countable nouns
(a) little uncountable nouns.

A few and a little describe the quantity in a positive way. They mean „some‟. They can often
suggest ideas like „better than nothing‟ or „more than expected‟:
I've got a few friends (= maybe not many, but enough)
I've got a little money (= I've got enough to live on)

Few and little describe the quantity in a negative way. They mean “hardly any”. Little and
few usually have a limiting or rather negative meaning. They may suggest “not as much/many
as one would like”, “not as much/many as expected”, and similar ideas:
Few people visited him in hospital (= he had almost no visitors)
He had little money (= almost no money)

 “Other” and “another”

Other and another are used to emphasize that something is additional to an existing number
or quantity. Another can‟t be used with plural nouns unless they are preceded by a numeral.
I’m having other problems these days.
Have another drink.
I’ve got another three days to finish the task.
Pre-determiners:

 “All”, “Both”, “Half”

All, both and half can be used before other central determiners (articles, possessives,
demonstratives) or without them.
All cheese contains protein.
Have you eaten all the bread?
Both (of) my parents have fair hair.
Half (of) these snakes are harmless.

All refers to three or more items. It can be used either with plural countable nouns or
uncountable nouns.
I’ve invited all my friends to the party.
Who’s left all this paper on my desk?

Both means “each of two”. It can be used only with countable plural (referring to 2) nouns.
Both children were born in Italy.

Half is used to the express the fraction quantity ½ and can be used either with countable or
uncountable nouns.
You can take half this sugar.
Half of his books are in French.

All, both and half can be used followed by of and a determined noun to specify the noun we
are referring to. We can leave out of after them, but not before a pronoun.
All of these clothes… (specific) vs. All the clothes… (general)
Half of our group… (specific) vs. Half our group… (general).
All of them, half of us… (No *all them, half us…)