Determiners
1. Determiner:
‘ Determiner’ is a word used before a norm to indicate which things or people we are talking
about. The words ‘ a’ , ‘ the’ , ‘ my’ , ‘ this’ , ‘ some’ , ‘ many’ , etc. are called
determiners:
● He is a good boy.
● The boy you met is my friend.
● This novel is very interesting.
● I have some information about the accident.
● There were many people at the station.
All the italicised words are determiners and they limit the meaning of the nouns that follow them.
2. Kinds of Determiners:
3. Pre- determiners:
Pre- determiners are the words which occur before a determiner to limit the meaning of a noun:
4. Articles:
, The article system in English consists of the definite article ‘ the’ and the indefinite article
‘ a’ or ‘ anW e can think of nouns in a specific or general way. W hen we refer to particular
people or things or something that has already been mentioned or can be understood, we use
the definite article ‘ the’ . W hen we refer to singular nouns for the first time, or refer to things in
a general way, we use the indefinite article ‘ a’ or ‘ an’ .
The Definite Article ‘ The’ :
● W e can use the definite article before any common noun:
He threw the ball into the river.
The boys were not in the class.
● W e use the definite article to refer to specific persons or things:
I want to meet the principal in the school.
The tourists crossed the river in a boat.
● The definite article is used to refer to the things that are only one in the world:
The moon and stars were shining in the sky.
The sun sets in the west.
The earth revolves round the sun.
● W e use the definite article with the words such as school, university, prison, when we
are referring to a particular building: .
They will visit the school on Monday.
I met him in the university.
● The definite article may be used with the countable nouns that are used in the singular to
refer to things more general:
If you break the law, you will be punished.
He played the violin for half an hour.
● The definite article is used to refer to the parts of the body:
Smoking is harmful for the lungs.
He caught him by the neck.
There was an injury in the right eye.
● The definite article is used with time expressions:
I met her in the evening.
She came here in the morning.
● W e use the definite article before something that has already been mentioned.
1. Determiner:
‘ Determiner’ is a word used before a norm to indicate which things or people we are talking
about. The words ‘ a’ , ‘ the’ , ‘ my’ , ‘ this’ , ‘ some’ , ‘ many’ , etc. are called
determiners:
● He is a good boy.
● The boy you met is my friend.
● This novel is very interesting.
● I have some information about the accident.
● There were many people at the station.
All the italicised words are determiners and they limit the meaning of the nouns that follow them.
2. Kinds of Determiners:
3. Pre- determiners:
Pre- determiners are the words which occur before a determiner to limit the meaning of a noun:
4. Articles:
, The article system in English consists of the definite article ‘ the’ and the indefinite article
‘ a’ or ‘ anW e can think of nouns in a specific or general way. W hen we refer to particular
people or things or something that has already been mentioned or can be understood, we use
the definite article ‘ the’ . W hen we refer to singular nouns for the first time, or refer to things in
a general way, we use the indefinite article ‘ a’ or ‘ an’ .
The Definite Article ‘ The’ :
● W e can use the definite article before any common noun:
He threw the ball into the river.
The boys were not in the class.
● W e use the definite article to refer to specific persons or things:
I want to meet the principal in the school.
The tourists crossed the river in a boat.
● The definite article is used to refer to the things that are only one in the world:
The moon and stars were shining in the sky.
The sun sets in the west.
The earth revolves round the sun.
● W e use the definite article with the words such as school, university, prison, when we
are referring to a particular building: .
They will visit the school on Monday.
I met him in the university.
● The definite article may be used with the countable nouns that are used in the singular to
refer to things more general:
If you break the law, you will be punished.
He played the violin for half an hour.
● The definite article is used to refer to the parts of the body:
Smoking is harmful for the lungs.
He caught him by the neck.
There was an injury in the right eye.
● The definite article is used with time expressions:
I met her in the evening.
She came here in the morning.
● W e use the definite article before something that has already been mentioned.
