DETERMINERS AND QUANTIFIERS

DETERMINERS AND QUANTIFIERS Determiners and Quantifiers Classes of Determiners Determiners and Pronouns SOME and ANY FEW, A FEW, LITTLE and A LITTLE MUCH and MANY EACH and EVERY EACH ONE, EVERY ONE, ANY ONE, and ANOTHER ONE THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE A LOT OF and LOTS OF ANOTHER and OTHER BOTH and BOTH THE SOMEBODY, SOMEONE, ANYBODY and ANYONE EVERYBODY, EVERYONE, NOBODY and NO ONE ANYTHING and ANYWHERE ENOUGH

1. Determiners and Quantifiers

Determiners are words that we put before nouns or noun phrases to make them clear as to what they mean. A determiner tells us which or how many persons/things we are talking about. For example, when we say his big house, we are describing one house which is not small and it belongs to him. Or when we say those tall trees, we mean more than one tree and they are not short, and the trees are not here but over there. Examples of most common determiners are the which is known as the Definite Determiner, and a and an which are the Indefinite Determiners. Quantifiers answer the following two questions: How much? – this is used with only uncountable nouns. The words used with uncountable nouns are: a little, a bit of, much, a great deal of, and a large amount of. EXAMPLE: What you need is to put a little more salt to make it taste like soup. There is a bit of broken glass under the chair. I haven't brought much money with me. A great deal of her work is massaging the back of patients. The drugs were sold for a large amount of hard cash. How many? – this is used with countable nouns. The words used with countable nouns are: a, an, one, each, every, both, a couple of, a few, several, many, a number of, a large number of, and a great number of. EXAMPLE: A rubber duck is floating in the bath. An evil monster like him has no friends. One page is missing from the book. Each item is carefully checked. Every child was given a lollipop. Both donkeys are braying at the same time. After a couple of drinks, he was unable to control his speech. She cracked a few eggs into the mixture. Someone stole several pigs from his farm. I think he is putting too many eggs in one basket. A number of you think I look overweight. Illegal loggers cut down a large number of trees. He has collected a great number of insects. Quantifiers can be used with countable or uncountable nouns with such words as: no, any, some, plenty of, a lot of, lots of, most, and all. EXAMPLE: There is a lot of work I have to do this week. (Uncountable noun) EXAMPLE: There were a lot of people watching the cockfight. (Countable noun) Besides the common determiners like the articles stated above, there are other determiners such as: some, any, that, those, this, whatever, and whichever. There are also determiners that express quantity: few, little, both, each, every, all, many, several, enough, and no. Other determiners include numerals which appear before a noun, and ordinal numerals which express sequence: Examples of these are: one, two, ten and first, second, third.

2. Classes of Determiners

Determiners are classified as follow: Definite and Indefinite articles: the, a, an Demonstratives: this, that, these, those Possessives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their Quantifiers: a few, a little, much, many, a lot of, most, some, any, enough, etc. Numbers: one, ten, thirty, etc. Distributives: all, both, half, either, neither, each, every Difference words: other, another Interrogatives: which, what, whose Defining words: which, whose

3. Determiners and Pronouns

A clear understanding of determiners and how they are used is important in order not to confuse with pronouns. The following examples illustrate the differences between them. Determiner Pronoun This car is very expensive. This is a very expensive car. That castle is haunted. That is a haunted castle. The blue parrot is mine. My parrot is blue. (Possessive pronoun) The candy bar in the box is hers. Her candy bar is in the box. (Possessive pronoun) As can be easily noticed, the determiner always appears before a noun while a pronoun takes the place of a noun. Some quantifiers can be used with countable nouns, some with uncountable nouns and some with both countable and uncountable.

4. SOME and ANY

Some is used in positive sentences. Any is used for negative sentences. EXAMPLE: I have some peanuts for the monkeys. EXAMPLE: I don't have any peanuts for the monkeys. We use some for questions with possible yes answers, and any for questions whose answers are uncertain. EXAMPLE: Do you want some medicine for your cough? EXAMPLE: Is there any medicine for my cough? Sometimes, we can use some and any instead of a/an when referring to quantity. EXAMPLE: Is there a bird in that tree? Are there any birds in that tree? EXAMPLE: There is an egg in the nest. There are some eggs in the nest. We can choose not to use some and any when referring to quantity. EXAMPLE: There is some coffee for you. = There is coffee for you. EXAMPLE: Are there any apples in the fridge? = Are there apples in the fridge? Some and any are used with countable nouns. EXAMPLE: There are some letters for you. EXAMPLE: Are there any letters in the mailbox? Some and any are used with uncountable nouns. EXAMPLE: There is some tea in the pot. EXAMPLE: Is there any tea in the pot? Some and any can be used without adding nouns if it is understood what is meant. EXAMPLE: I can give you some. / Sorry, I don't have any to lend you. Some and any have other uses. EXAMPLE: I have not seen a kangaroo for some years. EXAMPLE: Any idea you have must not be ridiculous. Some is not normally used in descriptions. EXAMPLE: He's got dark hair on his chest. (NOT: He's got some dark hair on his chest.) We do not use some to identify people or things. EXAMPLE: Adam and Eve are family doctors. (NOT: Adam and Eve are some family doctors.) We can use some in questions. EXAMPLE: Do you want some pineapple juice? (Uncountable noun) EXAMPLE: Did you buy some scented flowers? (Countable noun) Some can be used on its own, somewhat like a pronoun. EXAMPLE: Most in the audience were enjoying the performance, but some were sleeping. Any can be used in positive statements. EXAMPLE: You can borrow any of my tools. We can use any in interrogative sentences. EXAMPLE: Are there any problems with your work? Any can be used in a sentence with if. EXAMPLE: If you had any brain, you wouldn't have done it.

5. FEW, A FEW, LITTLE and A LITTLE

Few and a few are used with plural countable nouns: few coconuts, a few coconuts. Little and a little are used with uncountable nouns: little oil, a little oil. Few and little are regarded as negative. When used, they imply scarcely any is available, almost none. EXAMPLE: I have few clothes. / I have got little money. (= I have almost no clothes or money.) A few and a little describe a quantity that is viewed in a positive way, and as having some, but enough. EXAMPLE: I have a few books. / I have got a little time. (= I still have some books or time.) We use a few with plural countable nouns, and a little with singular uncountable nouns. EXAMPLE: Only a little water is left in the trough for a few pigs to drink. 6. MUCH and MANY Much is used with singular uncountable nouns, and many is used with plural countable nouns. EXAMPLE: Don't put so much salt on your chips! EXAMPLE: I saw many monkeys in the zoo. Much and many can be used in negative sentences. EXAMPLE: We don't earn much working here. EXAMPLE: He doesn't have many fish in his aquarium. Much and many can be used in question forms. EXAMPLE: How much money do I owe you? EXAMPLE: How many books have you read this year? We use much or many in short negative forms without nouns in reply to questions. EXAMPLE: Did you cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water? No, not much. EXAMPLE: Did you see many bulls on the farm?" "Not many." 7. EACH and EVERY Each and every have basically the same meaning. We use each when we are thinking of all people or things but seen as individuals. When we use every (person), we mean all (people, i.e. everyone). EXAMPLE: Each person has two ears and a nose. EXAMPLE: Every child deserves good education. Each and every are used to refer to more than two. EXAMPLE: Each member at the meeting had a free lunch. EXAMPLE: Every member at the meeting had a free lunch. Each can be used to mean only two while every can mean three or more or a large number. EXAMPLE: Each player playing in the singles final has certain style. (= two players) EXAMPLE: There were cars parked along every street in town. (= all the streets) Each/every is used before a singular countable noun to talk about a whole group. EXAMPLE: Each/every member of the gang was questioned for possible involvement in the crime. We use of after each but not after every. EXAMPLE: Each of the areas is given a postal code. / Each one of the areas is given a postal code. EXAMPLE: Every of the areas is given a postal code. (INCORRECT) Each can be used in the middle of a sentence or after a pronoun. EXAMPLE: After the bitter quarrel, my girlfriend and I each went our separate ways. Every can be used with some uncountable nouns. EXAMPLE: He gave me every advice before I went for that climb. 8. EACH ONE, EVERY ONE, ANY ONE and ANOTHER ONE We use one of after each, every, any, another. EXAMPLE: Each one of these apples is rotten. EXAMPLE: Every one of the rooms was infested with cockroaches. Every one [two words] is an expression of quantity. It can be used about any person or thing and is always used with an of. EXAMPLE: Every one of the residents in this neighbourhood owns their own home. Everyone [one word] is an indefinite pronoun. It is only used about people and can never be followed by of. EXAMPLE: Everyone, except me, has taken their bath. Any is a determiner. Any one [two words] is used to refer to each one or all students of the class. EXAMPLE: Any one who sleeps in class will be sent home. Anyone [one word] used is a pronoun, and it refers to any person in the world. EXAMPLE: Anyone who still believes the world is flat should think again. Another is a determiner. Another one refers to an additional person. EXAMPLE: Look! Another ostrich burying its head in the sand. / You can have another one joined your group. 9. THIS, THAT, THESE and THOSE This and these are used to refer to people or things that are close to us, and that and those are used to talk about people or things that are not near to us. EXAMPLE: Look at this photo of the sun rising . / I'll speak to that policeman over there. This and these are used for an action that is still going on. We use that and those to say about things that are finished. EXAMPLE: Why are you telling me all this? / Listen to these voices, and tell me who they belong to. EXAMPLE: Let's play that piece of music again. / Those strange noises came from the roof. This/these is used for introduction and that/those for identification. EXAMPLE: This is my best friend Colonel Sanders. / These are my twin brothers Laurel and Hardy. EXAMPLE: That dog is a German shepherd. EXAMPLE: Those that are flying around at night are a species of bat. This, that, these and those can be used without adding nouns if the meaning is clear. EXAMPLE: I hate this. / Stop pushing these. / Look at that. / Those were tricky. 10. A LOT OF and LOTS OF A lot of and lots of mean the same. EXAMPLE: I don't have a lot of money. / I don't have lots of money. A lot of and lots of can be used for singular uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns. EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of sand has got into my shoes. (Uncountable nouns) EXAMPLE: I can eat a lot f/lots of grapes when I want to. (Countable nouns) When we use a lot of/lots of with a plural subject, we use a plural verb. EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of replies were received in response to her advertisement. When we use a lot of/lots of with a singular subject, we use a singular verb. EXAMPLE: A lot of/lots of false information was given to the tax authorities. We use a lot of/lots of in positive statements. EXAMPLE: We had a lot of/lots of fun at the funfair. 1. ANOTHER and OTHER Another is used with singular nouns. Another is used to refer to: an additional person or thing of the same kind. EXAMPLE: You can have another pizza if you haven't had enough. a different person or thing EXAMPLE: if this doesn't work, you have to find another method for resolving the disputes. Other is used to refer to: all people or things that are not the particular one being mentioned. EXAMPLE: The football match may be postponed but the other sporting events are taking place. more people or things in addition to the one being mentioned. EXAMPLE: You have seen this antique shop but there are at least three other antique shops nearby. people or things which are different from the ones being mentioned. EXAMPLE: Drowning rats is just one way to eliminate them but there are other ways. 12. BOTH and BOTH THE Both and both the are used in the same way in reference to two particular persons or things. EXAMPLE: Both books discuss the possibility of third world war. EXAMPLE: Both the books discuss the possibility of third world war. Both is used after an auxiliary verb, or after an auxiliary verb but before the main verb. EXAMPLE: We are both regular partners in tennis. EXAMPLE: They have both started to learn English together. Both is used after a modal (e.g. can, could, may, might, etc.) EXAMPLE: They can both speak five languages. Both is used before the main verb EXAMPLE: The pythons both escaped from their cage late last night. Both is used as subject in a sentence. EXAMPLE: Both of us have been quarrelling since this morning. Both is used as object in a sentence. EXAMPLE: I think I have fallen in love with both of you. We can use of or without of after both when we are specific about what or who we are referring to. EXAMPLE: We recognize both of the men responsible for the crime. EXAMPLE: We recognize both the men responsible for the crime. EXAMPLE: We recognize both men responsible for the crime. 3. SOMEBODY, SOMEONE, ANYBODY and ANYONE There is no difference in meaning between somebody and someone, and between anybody and anyone. EXAMPLE: There is somebody/someone at the door asking for donation. EXAMPLE: Anybody/anyone can boil an egg. When we use anybody and anyone, we are not being specific about who. EXAMPLE: It's an easy game to play. Anybody/anyone can play it. 14. EVERYBODY, EVERYONE, NOBODY and NO ONE We use a singular verb after everybody, everyone, nobody and no one. EXAMPLE: Everybody/everyone is beginning to feel very drunk after heavy drinking. EXAMPLE: I want to sing a song but worried (that) nobody/no one wants to listen. 15. ANYTHING and ANYWHERE In using anything and anywhere, we are not specific about what or where. EXAMPLE: I am so hungry that I can eat anything for lunch. EXAMPLE: We can sit anywhere you like. We can use anything and anywhere for negative statements. EXAMPLE: We don't know anything about the murder in the neighbourhood. EXAMPLE: We didn't go anywhere yesterday. We can use anything and anywhere for questions. EXAMPLE: Did you get anything for me to eat? EXAMPLE: We took him in as he didn't have anywhere to stay. 16. ENOUGH Enough is placed before singular uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns in a sentence. EXAMPLE: She has not enough olive oil to cook her favourite dish. EXAMPLE: There aren't enough chairs for everyone, so I sit on the floor. We put enough after adjectives and adverbs in a sentence. EXAMPLE: We think she is beautiful enough to win the beauty contest. EXAMPLE: I couldn't pluck those pears as I couldn't jump high enough.