Determiners; Articles & Quantifiers.

Che Mohd Nizwan bin Che Ghani Ahmad Naim bin Hanafiah @ Abdul Fatah

Definition.
One that determines. A word belonging to a group of noun modifiers, which includes articles, demonstratives, possessive adjectives, and words such as any, both, or whose, and, in English, occupying the first position in a noun phrase or following another determiner.
Source : American Heritage Dictionary

Determiners.
Determiners are words that are used with nouns to clarify the noun. They can clarify: to define something or someone to state the amount of people, things or other nouns to state possessives to state something or someone is specific to state how things or people are distributed to state the difference between nouns to state someone or something is not specific There are different types of determiners. There type of determiner depends on the type of noun. Singular nouns always need a determiner. Plural nouns the determiner is optional. Uncountable nouns the determiner is also optional. There are about 50 different determiners in the English language they include: Demonstratives: this, that, these, those, which etc. Possessives: my, your, our, their, his, hers, whose, my friend's, our friends', etc. Quantifiers: few, a few, many, much, each, every, some, any etc. Numbers: one, two, three, twenty, forty Ordinals: first, second, 1st 2nd, 3rd, last, next, etc. Interrogative: what, who, which, whose, whom.

Articles.
Articles are used to clarify if a noun is specific or if a noun is not specific. They are used before the nouns or adjective. There are 2 kinds of articles: Definite articles - are used for specific nouns. "The" - is a definite articles Indefinite articles - are used for non specific nouns. "A- An" are indefinite articles It is used to refer to a noun that is not something or someone specific such as a pen, an apple, a bus). " A" or "An" is used when it is not important as to which the nouns referring to (example: an apple on the table, a pen on the table or a book from the room). It is unknown as to which the noun is referring to (example: a teacher in the hall, a letter in the mail box, a car in the street). "A" is used if the letter before the next word starts with a consonant (not a vowel a, e, i, o, u). An is used if the letter for the next word starts with a vowel (a, e, I, o, u). Examples: I see a dog in the street. * The girls see the big black dog on the other side of the street. ** Please bring me a pen.* Please bring me the black pen that is on my desk.** I think that is a teacher from the school.* I think that is the math teacher.** * A refers to something that is not specific, it is not clear or important as to which dog, pen or teacher. ** The refers to a specific pen "the black pen" not just any pen, "the big black dog" not just any dog, and "math teacher" not just any teacher.

Quantifiers.
Quantifiers are words that are used to state quantity or amount of something without stating the actually number. Quantifiers answer the questions "How many?" and "How much?" Quantifiers can be used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. Quantifiers must agree with the noun. There are 3 main types of quantifiers. Quantifiers that are used with countable nouns, quantifiers that are used with uncountable nouns. and the 3rd type are quantifiers that are used with either countable nouns or uncountable nouns.

Countable Nouns Much Many Few* X X

Uncountable Nouns X -

I don't have much money. I don't have many apples. We know few people in the area. I would like to get to know more. We know a few people in the area. I know enough people to keep me happy.

A few**

Little*

I know little English. I am going to have a problem getting around England.

I know a little English, at least enough to get England. I have enough money. I have plenty of money.

A little** Enough Plenty

X X

X X x

**a few / a little means that there are not a lot of something, but there is enough. *few / little means that s not enough of something.
Source : http://www.english-the-easy-way.com/

Functions of Determiners.

1. Determiners used to refer to groups of two persons or things

In Old English, there were singular forms, plural forms and dual forms. Dual forms are used to refer to two persons or things. In modern English, a few words still remain which refer to two persons or things. For example, the determiners both, either and neither are used when referring to groups of two. Both refers to two things of a group of two, either refers to one thing of a group of two, and neither refers to zero things of a group of two.
e.g. I have two brothers. Both of them are engineers. I had two maps of the city, but I cannot find either of them. There are two textbooks for the course. Neither of them is expensive.

In contrast, the determiners all, any and none may be used when referring to groups with more than two members. All may refer to every member of a group of three or more, any may refer to one member of a group of three or more, and none may refer to zero members of a group of three or more.
e.g. I have three brothers. All of them are engineers. I had four maps of the city, but I cannot find any of them. There are six textbooks for the course. None of them is expensive.

Cont.
The following rules for the use of either and neither should be noted. If it is desired to change a clause beginning with either so as to express a negative meaning, either must be changed to neither. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: Either of the alternatives is acceptable. Negative Meaning: Neither of the alternatives is acceptable. Affirmative Meaning: Either hotel will offer you its best room. Negative Meaning: Neither hotel will offer you its best room. A sentence which contains the word either, in which either does not occur at the beginning of a clause, can be changed to express a negative meaning either by using the word not, or by changing either to neither. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: You may borrow either of the books. Negative Meaning: You may not borrow either of the books. Negative Meaning: You may borrow neither of the books. Affirmative Meaning: I might give the message to either boy. Negative Meaning: I might not give the message to either boy. Negative Meaning: I might give the message to neither boy. It should be noted that in modern English, the determiner neither is most often used only at the beginning of a clause. Otherwise, the meaning of neither is usually expressed by the combination not ... either. In addition to being used as determiners, the words both, either and neither can also be used as conjunctions.

2. Determiners used as singular or plural pronouns

In formal English, the pronouns another, each, either, neither and one always take singular verbs. e.g. Each of the children wants to win the prize. Either of the alternatives is acceptable. Neither of the books has good illustrations. Every one of the students was ready on time.

In these examples, the singular verbs wants, is, has, and was are used with the pronouns each, either, neither and one. In informal English, plural verbs are sometimes used with pronouns such as each, either and neither. e.g. Neither of the books have good illustrations. However, this use of the plural verb is considered to be grammatically incorrect in formal English. It should also be noted that in formal English, when the words another, each, every, either, neither and one are used in combination with personal pronouns or possessive adjectives, singular forms are always used. As mentioned previously, in formal English, the adjective his or the phrase his or her may be used when referring to a group containing both male and female members. e.g. Each of the children waited impatiently for his turn. Every student raised his or her hand. Neither of the girls has finished her homework. Either of the hotels will offer you its best room.

In these examples, each, every, neither and either are used in combination with the singular forms his, his or her, her and its.

Cont.
In informal English, plural possessive adjectives are often used in this type of sentence. e.g. Neither of the girls finished their homework. However, this use of the plural possessive adjective is considered to be grammatically incorrect in formal English. It should be noted that in both formal and informal English, none is used sometimes with singular, and sometimes with plural verbs. e.g. None of them is here. or None of them are here.

In contrast, the pronouns both, few, many and several are always plural. They take plural verbs, and are used in combination with plural personal pronouns and possessive adjectives. In addition, the pronoun all is always plural when used with countable nouns. e.g. Both of the boys have completed their essays. Several of the musicians are giving their first performances tonight. All of the girls have finished their homework.

In these examples, the pronouns both, several and all take the plural verbs have completed, are giving and have finished, and are used in combination with the plural possessive adjective their.

3. The use of Some and Any

The determiners some and any have slightly different meanings. The use of the word some generally implies a belief in the existence of the object or objects under consideration, whereas the use of the word any may imply a doubt about the existence of the object or objects under consideration. The words some, somebody, someone, something and somewhere are used in affirmative statements, as well as in polite questions and questions expecting an affirmative reply. e.g. Affirmative Statement: I saw some birds in the park. Polite Question: Would you like some tea? Affirmative Reply Expected: You seem worried. Is something wrong?

In contrast, the words any, anybody, anyone, anything and anywhere are used in questions and negative statements, as well as in affirmative statements referring in an indefinite way to a type of object, without specifying a particular object. e.g. Question: Did you see any birds in the park? Negative Statement: I do not know anyone here. Indefinite Reference: Any drug store can supply you with aspirin.

The words some, somebody, someone, something and somewhere usually cannot be used in a negative statement. If it is desired to change a clause beginning with the word some so that it expresses a negative meaning, some may be changed to no or none, depending on whether an adjective or pronoun is required. In the following example, some is used as an adjective modifying the noun books. In order to change the sentence to express a negative meaning, some is replaced by the adjective no. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: Some books were left on the shelf. Negative Meaning: No books were left on the shelf.

Cont.
In the following example, some is used as a pronoun. In order to change the sentence to express a negative meaning, some is replaced by the pronoun none. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: Some of the visitors arrived late. Negative Meaning: None of the visitors arrived late. Similarly, if it is desired to change a clause beginning with somebody, someone, something or somewhere so that it expresses a negative meaning, these words may be replaced by nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere, respectively. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: Someone left a message. Negative Meaning: No one left a message. Affirmative Meaning: Something has happened. Negative Meaning: Nothing has happened. A sentence containing the word some, in which some does not occur at the beginning of a clause, can be changed to express a negative meaning by changing the sentence to a negative statement using not, and by changing some to any. e.g. Affirmative Meaning: I bought some potatoes. Negative Meaning: I did not buy any potatoes. Affirmative Meaning: We will copy some of the recipes. Negative Meaning: We will not copy any of the recipes.

It is possible to use no or none in such sentences instead of the construction with not ... any. e.g. I bought no potatoes. We will copy none of the recipes. However, in modern English, the construction with not ... any is more often used than the construction with no or none.

4. The use of Few, Little and Several

The use of the word a with the determiners few and little somewhat changes the meaning which is expressed. The expressions a few and a little merely refer to a small quantity of something. e.g. A few of his friends came to the party. Meaning: Some of his friends came to the party. I had a little time to consider the situation. Meaning: I had a small amount of time to consider the situation. In contrast, few and little not only refer to a small quantity of something, but also imply that the quantity is remarkably, or undesirably small. e.g. Few of his friends came to the party. Meaning: Only a very small number of his friends came to the party. I had little time to consider the situation. Meaning: I had almost no time to consider the situation.