Grammar-Quizzes › Noun Phrases › Determiners › Determiner / Determiner Phrase
Determiner / Determiner Phrase
Recognize a variety of markers before nouns
Determined vs. Bare Nouns
| SINGULAR NOUNS |
|---|
All singular nouns require some kind of marker. A noun phrase with a marker is called a determined noun phrase. bird – noun (N) ; a bird – noun phrase (NP) |
| DETERMINED (MARKED) |
A friend called. / *Friend called. (determined NP) |
A hair is on your sweater. (determined count noun) |
This / that friend called. These / those hairs on your sweater are blond. |
| PLURAL & MASS NOUNS |
|---|
Plural count nouns do not require but can take a determinative marker. A noun phrase without a marker is called a bare noun phrase. Noncount (mass) nouns |
| BARE (UNMARKED) |
Friends called. (bare count noun) |
Hair makes a guy look young. (bare noncount noun) |
| DETERMINED (OPTIONAL MARKERS) |
These / those / some / three friends called. Some hair makes a guy look young. (mininal amount) |
*not used.
determiner – a function in the structure of a sentence
determinative – a category of words
Determiners List
Definite / Indefinite
Basic Markers – adding a specification of "definiteness"
| MARKER | NAME | FUNCTION | NOUN PHRASE |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDENTIFIERS | |||
1. the, a |
articles |
definite / indefinite |
I called a friend. We'll ask the friend (that you called). |
demonstratives |
definite; near / far; singular / plural |
Ask this friend. / Go and ask that friend. He was calling all night. This angered them. |
|
3. my, his, boy's… |
possessive subject determinatives |
definite |
My friend is here. My brother's friend is here. California's history… |
| QUANTIFIERS | |||
4. all, both |
universal determinatives |
definite; whole quantity |
All friends want loyalty. All your friends called back. |
5. each, every |
distributive determinatives |
definite / indefinite |
Each friend called back. (definite group) / Every friend wants loyalty. (indefinite) |
6. some, any |
existential determinatives |
indefinite; a quantity exists; quantity in part |
Some friends called back. / Did any friends called back? |
disjunctive determinatives |
indefinite; alternative (not sure) |
Either friend will call back. / Either of my friends will call back. |
|
8. no (not) |
negative determiner |
indefinite |
Not one friend called back. / Not all friends call back. |
9. another |
alternative-additive determiner |
indefinite |
Another friend called back./ Another of my friends called back. |
10. little, few, several… |
positive paucal / determinatives |
indefinite |
Few/ A few friends called back. |
11. many, much, few, little |
degree determinatives multal |
indefinite |
Did many friends called back? |
sufficiency determinatives |
indefinite |
We have enough food. / We have sufficient food. |
|
| OTHERS | |||
13. one, two, three |
cardinal numerals |
indefinite; quantitative |
Two friends called back. |
interrogative and relative determinatives |
indefinite |
You can have whatever color you want. You want which size? I'll tell you what time we're leaving. Take which umbrella you prefer. |
|
15. we, you (us) |
personal demonstrative |
definite; personal |
We kids want to leave. / You people should leave. (BUT NOT: "They people should leave" or "He man should leave") |
intensifiers and exclamations |
indefinite |
Such friends are hard to find. / What friends you have! |
|
limiting a numerical amount or area |
indefinite |
Around twenty thousand people were there. / We spent up to thirthy minutes in line. Just under the doormat is the place we hide the key. Use the above link to advance to the next page. |
Determiners are within the category of Adjective; they are "limiting adjectives" as opposed to "descriptive adjectives".
(Huddleston "Adjectives vs. determinatives" 6 §2.4.4) (Huddleston "The determiner function" 5.4) (Swan 154)
Determiner Phrases (Predeterminers)
Degrees and approximations
Modifiers to a determiner vs. Modifiers to a noun
| DETERMINER PHRASE MODIFIERS NOUN | |
|---|---|
In a determiner phrase, a word— often a negative (not), or an adverb expressing intensity (very), degree of completeness (nearly), or estimation (approximately)—modifies the determiner. Together, they modify a noun. |
|
| DETERMINATIVE PHRASE | NOUN |
| NEGAVTIVE ADV + QUANTIFIER | NOUN |
not many not much not all not enough not every |
cities time people people city |
| DETERMINATIVE PHRASE | NOUN PHRASE |
| ADV INTENSIFIER + QUAN | NOUN |
so many so little very few too many too much |
cities were crowded. time cities cities time |
| DETERMINATIVE PHRASE | NOUN PHRASE |
| ADV COMPLETENESS + QUAN | NOUN |
not enough almost all nearly every just enough practically any exactly sufficient |
time cities city time time amount |
| DETERMINATIVE PHRASE | NOUN PHRASE |
| ADV / PREP ESTIMATION + NUMBER | NOUN |
about fifty / over fifty / under fifty approximately fivfiftye / roughly fifty at least fifty / at most fifty exactly fifty / some fifty |
cities cities cities pounds |
| ADVERB MODIFIES NOUN PHRASE | |
|---|---|
A similar but different situation exists when an adverb or quantifier modifies a noun phrase (the determiner is with the noun). |
|
| MODIFIER | NOUN PHRASE |
| NEGATIVE ADV | DET + (ADJ) + N + (PP) |
not not not not
|
a city a single minute a one (det + pronoun) a single person in the room |
| MODIFIER | NOUN PHRASE |
| ADV INTENSIFIER | N + PP |
so very too
|
many of the cities few of the people much of the trip |
| MODIFIER | NOUN PHRASE |
| ADV NEG / COMPLETENESS | DET + N / N + PP |
not all almost nearly
|
a single person the major cities all of that trip none of those flights |
| MODIFIER | NOUN PHRASE |
| QUANTIFIER | DET + (ADJ) + N |
all¹ half almost
|
the time the time the entire group
|
¹The preposition of is omitted from some quantifiers with prepositional phrases. See Quantifiers and Fractional Quantities.
Predeterminer Modifiers
Word order exceptions
Determiner before modifier vs. modifier before determiner
| DETERMINER BEFORE MODIFIER |
|---|
In most cases, the article is placed before the modifier(s) of a noun. Noun Phrase = [Det + Adj + Noun] |
He is [a very good friend]. |
|
I have never had a very good friend like him. |
|
|
| MODIFIER BEFORE DETERMINER |
|---|
However, a few modifiers are placed before the article, for example, such, so, how, as, this, that, what. Noun Phrase = [Such Det + Adj + Noun] |
He is [such a good friend]. What a good friend. |
He is so good a friend. How good a friend is he? |
I have never had such a good friend as this one. (comparison) He is such a good friend that we spend hours together. (cause-effect) |
No such friend ever existed before. (article omitted with two modifiers) One such friend helped me find a job. (article omitted with two modifiers) |
Nothing is too big a favor. I've never had this good a friend before. |
(Huddleston "Predeterminer AdjPs" 6 §3.3) (Merriam-Webster 879-881)
Also see How / What.
Markers for Time (Temporal Markers)
Last, This & Next
Markers for time (temporal markers)
| LAST | THIS | NEXT |
|---|---|---|
Words for an earlier time (week) or calendar date (Tuesday, May) are commonly marked with "last" or "yesterday" for periods within the last day. |
Words for a current time (week) or calendar date (Tuesday, May) are commonly marked with "this". |
Words for a later time (week) or calendar date (Tuesday, May) are commonly marked with "next" or "tomorrow" for periods within the coming day. |
last week (month, year, decade, century) |
this week |
next week (month, year, decade, century) |
last Tuesday |
this Tuesday |
next Tuesday |
yesterday morning ("the other day") |
this morning |
tomorrow morning ("on the morrow") |
last night |
tonight |
tomorrow night |
tomorrow –
c.1275, to morewe, from O.E. to morgenne "on (the) morrow," from to "at, on" (see to) + morgenne, dative of morgen "morning." Written as two words until 16c., then as to-morrow until early 20c.
yesterday –
O.E. geostran dæg, from dæg "day" + geostran "yesterday," from P.Gmc. *gestra- (cf. O.H.G. gestaron, Ger. gestern "yesterday," O.N. gær "tomorrow, yesterday," Goth. gistradagis "tomorrow"), originally "the other day" (reckoned from "today," either backward or forward), from PIE *ghes
Determiners
Singular and Plural Agreement
| SINGULAR |
|---|
Some determiners (a, each, one, every) mark only singlar count nouns. Others (this, that, my, the, such) can mark both singular count nouns and noncount nouns. |
| ARTICLES—A |
I'd like a blueberry. I won't pick the green blueberry. |
| DEMONSTRATIVES |
This blueberry is ready to eat. That blueberry is still green. |
| SINGULAR QUANTIFIER |
Each blueberry is delicious. One blueberry is not enough. |
| POSSESSIVES |
My blueberry is delicious. (see next section)
|
| OTHER |
Take whichever blueberry you want. Wh-ever Determiner What color should a blueberry be? I've never tasted such flavor in a berry before. |
| PLURAL |
|---|
Determiners these and those mark plural count nouns, and the, some, any, most and all mark plural count or nouncount nouns. See the links in each section for details. |
| ARTICLES—THE |
I'd like some blueberries. I'll pick the ripe blueberries. |
| DEMONSTRATIVES |
These blueberries are ready to eat. Those blueberries are still green. |
| PLURAL QUANTIFIERS |
Some blueberries are delicious. Most blueberries are delicious. |
| POSSESSIVES |
My blueberries are delicious. (see next section)
|
| OTHER |
Take whathever blueberries (groups) you want. What colors can berries be? I've never tasted such berries before. (like these) |
Singular-Plural Possessive Agreement (advanced)
| SINGULAR POSSESSIVE |
|---|
A singular determiner is used with a singular possessive noun. The determiner and the possessive combine to form a determiner for the second noun. |
| SINGULAR POSSESSIVE + SINGULAR NOUN |
This computer's network is down. Its network is down. My computer's network is down. My network is down. 1 computer — 1 network |
| SINGULAR POSSESSIVE + PLURAL NOUN |
This computer's networks are down. Its networks are down. My computer's networks are down. My networks are down. 1 computer — several networks |
| PLURAL POSSESSIVE |
|---|
A plural determiner is used with a plural possessive noun. The determiner and the possessive combine to form a determiner for the second noun. |
| PLURAL POSSESSIVE + SINGULAR NOUN |
These computers' network is down. Their network is down. My computers' network is down. My network is down. several computers — 1 network |
| PLURAL POSSESSIVE + PLURAL NOUN |
These computers' networks are down (off). Their networks are down. My computers' networks are down. / My networks are down. several computers — several networks.. |
network is down — a system failure; off, not working
See Possessives.
Exceptions
Nouns w/o Determiners & Determiners w/o Nouns
Exceptions
| NOUNS WITHOUT DETERMINERS |
|---|
Some singular nouns do not occur with a kind of determiner. |
He became president, treasurer, secretary, CEO. (a title) |
He went home¹, to school, to work. (a place) He is in hospital. (ENG-Br "receiving treatment") |
He ate breakfast, lunch, dinner. (He ate a snack.) (a meal) |
We'll have to manage day by day, minute by minute. (a rate) |
Education is the key to success. (non-count nouns) |
We went to Lake Victoria, Bryce Canyon, Mount Kilimanjaro, Alcatraz Island. The Queen went from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace. |
| DETERMINERS WITHOUT NOUNS |
|---|
Other determiners can occur alone when the noun is understood from the context. |
Do you want some cookies? I don't want any. I want a few. |
Which do you want? This is good. |
Many fought, but few survived. |
All are invited. All are welcome. |
None shall escape. (no + one) |
We saw others that we liked.
|
¹ home (P/Adv) expresses movement in a direction, "homeward"; home (N) the place in which one's domestic affections are centered. See Adverbs for Place, Prepositions for Place, Pop-Q "Home".
Related pages: some geographical features, buildings & landmarks.
Grammar Notes (Advanced)
Traditional and Linguistic Descriptions
Traditional Grammar and Linguistic Description
| TRADITIONAL DESCRIPTION |
|---|
In traditional grammar, articles, demonstratives and quantifiers occur before some singluar and plural nouns. (A singular count noun requires an article or marker of some type. (Azar 8-6) |
| SENTENCE PARSING—REED KELLOGG SYSTEM |
|
In ESL description, the determiner indicates that the noun is a specific one, an unspecific one, one both the speaker and listener share knowledge about, one of a group, all in general, reference to a classification, and so on. See Articles. |
| LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION |
|---|
In linguistic analysis, there are two thoughts. One description includes the determiner as part of the noun phrase, a dependent of the Head, the noun. (Huddleston 5.4) |
| TREE DIAGRAM |
|
Another description includes the noun phrase within the determined phrase. That is the determiner is the head of the phrase and the noun phrase is a dependent of the determiner. "Determiners 'anchor' noun phrases in pragmatic space while Inflection 'anchors' verb phrases in time and reality." (Payne 8.2) |
Works Cited
- Azar, Betty Schrampfer, and Stacy A. Hagen. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2009.
- Huddleston, Rodney D., and Geoffrey K. Pullum. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge UP, 2002.
- Payne, Thomas Edward. Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge UP, 2011.
- Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2005.
Practice 1
Camping Trip
Read for Errors
We are going on a trip next week to Lake Shasta. We'll take a tent, our sleeping bags and map. We can buy food and water when we get to the lake. hen we arrive, we'll spend couple hours putting our camp together. We have to make sure that we have enough wood to make a fire.
We can swim, hike, or fish – whichever activity we like. This lake is known for good fishing. With such good fishing, we won't be hungry campers. We'll have good time and return on Sunday night. It's always wonderful feeling to return home and take shower.
camp (N) — a temporary location to spend the night, cook over a fire (camping)
hike (V) — take a long walk
tent (N) — a temporary shelter made of cloth
Correct or Incorrect?
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check 1-10" button.
Practice 2
Saturday Postal Service
Complete the sentence with a determiner if needed.
- Select the option that best completes the sentence
- Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check 11- 20" button.