Articles & Determiners - Explained
- Articles (a, an, the) are the most common determiners in English - small words placed before a noun to make its meaning clearer.
- Determiners are a wider group that also includes quantifiers, demonstratives, possessives and pre-determiners.
- Choosing the right one tells the listener whether you mean any item, that specific item, some of them or all of them.
We use determiners every time we put a, the or some in front of a noun - small words that change everything.
What are articles and determiners?
Determiners are words placed before a noun to show what kind of reference is being made - specific or general, near or far, one or many. Articles (a, an, the) are the most familiar type, but there are many others.
Examples:
A dog is barking. (any dog)
The dog is barking. (a specific dog you already know about)
Some dogs are barking. (more than one, but not all)
My dog is barking. (the one that belongs to me)
In the English language, almost every countable noun in a sentence is introduced by a determiner.
Articles: A, An and The
Articles are the most common determiners in English. They split into two kinds: definite and indefinite.
The definite article is the - used when the noun is specific or already known. The indefinite articles are a and an - used when the noun is one of many or mentioned for the first time. Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound.
Incorrect: I saw a elephant at the zoo.
Correct: I saw an elephant at the zoo.
Examples:
I'd like an apple, please. (vowel sound)
She bought a university degree. (consonant y sound, even though u is a vowel)
The sun rose at six this morning. (only one sun - specific)
Remember: indefinite articles introduce, definite articles refer back.
The Different Kinds of Determiners
| Determiner Type | Definition | Examples |
| Articles | Mark a noun as specific or general. | a, an, the |
| Demonstratives | Show distance or position. | this, that, these, those |
| Possessive determiners | Show ownership. | my, your, his, her, our, their |
| Quantifiers | Show amount or quantity. | some, any, many, few, much |
| Distributives | Refer to members of a group. | each, every, all, both, either |
| Determiners of difference | Point to something else or additional. | other, another, the other |
| Pre-determiners | Express opinion or emphasis before another determiner. | such, what, rather, quite |
Quantifiers
Quantifiers are determiners that show how much or how many. The right choice depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
- Countable nouns - many, a few, several, some (many books, a few apples)
- Uncountable nouns - much, a little, some (much water, a little time)
- Both - a lot of, some, any, no, enough (a lot of friends, a lot of money)
Examples:
There are many students in the class.
We have a little sugar left.
She has a lot of friends in London.
Demonstratives
Demonstratives are determiners that show whether something is near or far, singular or plural. The four demonstratives in English are this, that, these and those.
| Distance | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Near | this | these |
| Far | that | those |
Examples:
This book on my desk is interesting.
That car across the street is ours.
These apples are fresh.
Those mountains in the distance are the Alps.
Possessive Determiners
Possessive determiners show who or what a noun belongs to. They always go directly before the noun.
The seven possessive determiners are: my, your, his, her, its, our and their.
Examples:
My brother lives in Berlin.
Have you seen her new car?
Their house has a beautiful garden.
Distributives
Distributive determiners refer to members of a group, either as a whole or one by one. They include all, both, half, each, every, either and neither.
- All, both, half refer to the whole group
- Each, every refer to members individually
- Either, neither refer to one of two
Examples:
All students must complete the test.
Each of us has a different opinion.
Neither answer is correct.
Determiners of Difference
The determiners other, another and the other point to something different, additional or remaining.
- Another - singular countable nouns (another cookie)
- Other - plural countable and uncountable nouns (other shoes, other bread)
- The other - a specific remaining item (the other day)
Examples:
Would you like another cup of tea?
Do you have other shoes?
Where is the other key?
Pre-determiners
Pre-determiners are words placed before another determiner - usually a or an + adjective + noun. They add opinion, surprise or emphasis. The main pre-determiners are such, what, rather and quite.
- Such and what express surprise or emotion
- Rather and quite comment on degree (British English uses rather; American English uses quite)
Examples:
What a lovely day!
She's such a talented musician.
It was quite a difficult exam.