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BREAK

NESTLE

NEW BALANCE

DUNKIN DONUTS

OLAY

CHANEL

DETERMI
NERS
Forms and Categories
Nouns and Articles
Other Determiners
Predeterminers

DETERMINER
S

positioned before nouns

Are words which express (1) degrees of
definiteness, or (2) the position of the
nouns relative to the speaker, or (3)
their quantity.

Different Types
of Determiners
1 Articles

1.1 art1 or indefinite: a/an with singular noun, zero (no

word) for plural nouns.
Use the indefinite article when you are referring to an
item which is not yet commonly known by you and the
reader.
Examples: An office should be set up for his project.
The archeologists dug up a bone and several
stone tools.

 Only count nouns may take the infinite article.

Examples:
I saw a performance of Evita in London. (count noun)
The performances of Evita in London continued even
during the Falkland wars.
Performances is the basis for measuring training
effectiveness. (noncount noun)
The performance of employees is the basis for measuring
training effectiveness.
Some exceptions to this are idioms, such as:
If you do not get an education, you will not be able to fit
well into this modern world.
He caught a cold at the mall last night.

1.2 art2 or nondefinite: some with singular noun.

Use the nondefinite article when you are
referring to an entity identifiable to some extent
by you and your hearer or reader, but which you
prefer not to name.
The nondefinite some can also be used to
emphasize a special attribute of the topic, or to
mean a degree of.
Examples:
Some man delivered this suspicious package.
Some politicians never know when to give up.

1.3 art3 or definite: the. Use the definite article

when both you and your hearer/header are
certain about the identity of what the noun
refers to, especially when the noun has already
been mentioned, or when you want to refer to a
particular instance or example.
Examples:
The man left immediately.
The history written by colonial powers is always
biased for them.

2 Demonstratives
2.1 near, or d1: this, these. Use the d1 demonstrative to
indicate that the noun is nearer you than you hearer,
or more recently mentioned in the text. You could also
use it to single out one entity from a given set. Also,
use these by itself as the pronoun representing a plural
non-personal noun, instead of they or them.
Examples:
These paintings should be hung on that wall.
This book continues the argument that theologians are
not communicating their knowledge to parishioners.

2.2 far, or d2: that, those. Use the d2 demonstrative

to indicate that the noun is not near you it may
be nearer your hearer, or far from both of you or
not recently mentioned in the text. You may also
use the d2 demonstrative to distance yourself from
what the noun refers to.
Examples:
That man behind the tree is actually a policeman
on the lookout for a traffic violator.
Those teachers who lack expertise in their courses
should be required to undergo training.

3 Specifier: such, followed immediately by a noun.

This Manual considers the construction such+NS as
det+NS, differing from other grammar books which
analyze it as adj+NS. This analysis is based on the
semantic closeness of such to the demonstratives
and its different behavior from adjectives.
Examples:
Should anyone to fulfill his quota of sponsporships,
such member will not join the tour.
Such commodities used to be heavily traded in the
Manila stock market.

4 Quantifiers
4.1 any, each, every, either, neither, with a singular noun.
Example: Each gallon of water you get from your MWSS
faucet is only 60% of what you actually you pay for, because
you are also charged for MWSS system loss.
NB: The use of any with a plural noun has become
widespread: (Are there) any questions?
Do you have any questions?
but You may ask any question.
Also, a singular noun follows when any is modified, such as in
the phrases almost any, nearly any, and just about an.
Example: We will cast just about any singer except those
with attitude problems.

4.2 all, some, both, few, many, more with a plural noun.
Examples:
Some therapists claim that eye exercises can prevent eye
disorders pertaining to focus.
Both parties have agreed to an amicable statement.
When used singly, without an accompanying noun, these
quantifiers, together with each from the first set, may
be considered as ellipse.
Examples:
Each (one) is responsible for his absences.
All (persons) are equal before the law.

All can also be used as a mass noun, taking the singular form of
the verb.
Example: All is calm, all is bright.
4.3 less, much with a noncount noun.
Examples:
Less attention is needed for cacti than for orchids.
Much suffering can be traced to wrong decisions.
Used singly as ellipses, these take the singular form of the verb.
Example:
Less is more.
Much has been said about Filipino indolence.

5 Negative: no, with a singular noun, meaning not

one, or with a plural noun, meaning not any. No
with a singular noun emphasizes the meaning of
not a single (one).
Examples:
No person should be above the law.
No tress grow above this part of the mountain.
6 Possessive
Example: His thesis on humanism is actually an
argument against organized religion.

Category

Singular

Plural

indefinite article

a, an

(zero)

nondefinite article

some

some

definite article

the

the

demonstrative

this, that

these, those

such

such

specifier
quantifier

any, each, every,

all, some, both,

either, neither

few, many, more

less, much
negative

no

no

NOUNS AND ARTICLES

Distinguish among (1) nouns which do not take an
article, (2) nouns which may take an article- usually
with a slight shift in meaning and (3) nouns which
require an article. Do not omit the determiner when this
is required by the noun, nor use one when not required.
evolution
mathematics
quality
word processing
academe

(a) habit
(a) philosophy
(a) society
(an) education
(a) medicine

a/the book
a/the computer
a/the university
the humanities
a/the academy

A noncount noun may take a definite article, but not

an indefinite article.
*All human beings have a potential for good.
All human beings have potential for good.
All human beings have the potential for good.
The definite and indefinite articles also appear with
nouns idiomatically, such as:
a cold: He has a cold.
a lie: Dont tell a lie.
the truth: Thats the truth.
the flu: Lets hope he doesnt catch the flu as well.

Some noun forms have different meanings when used

with indefinite or definite articles:
a/the following: a/the followers/fans
the following: the succeeding items stated
an apocalypse: a mega disaster
the Apocalypse: the end of the world
The superlative form always takes the definite article:
a/the pretty girl
quality
a/the prettier girl
better quality
the prettiest girl
the best quality

OTHER DETERMINERS
Use the determiners any, either, no and neither according to
the sense they convey.
Remember that either and neither may only modified
singular nouns.
Examples:
I will hire any applicant who comes from UP. (with singular
noun)
I will hire either applicant. (only with singular noun,
meaning one of two)
No applicants were hired today. (with plural noun)
Neither applicant was hired. (only with singular noun,
meaning not one of two)

Use the quantifiers few, several and many for count nouns,
and use little, some and much for noncount nouns.
Examples:
Few/several/many students encounter difficulties in doing
field work.
We have little/some/much doubt that he was fired for
personal reasons.
Only one determiner may occur with a noun. Since possessive
pronouns replace determiners, one cannot have a determiner
and a possessive pronoun together before a noun:
the account of the manager
the managers account
*this his account, rather, his account

PREDETERMINERS
Predeterminers are phrases which may occur before the
determiner in a noun phrase with a plural.
Some predeterminers have articles (a few of, a little of) while
some do not (some of, many of). Do not confuse
predeterminers with nouns.
The verb agrees in number with the noun, not with the
predeterminer.

Examples:
A few of the so-called massage parlors are actually massage
parlors!
Some of the English books still being marketed are already
outmoded.

 The form both of is used before pronouns and demonstratives,

while both is used for all other parts of speech.
Examples:
Both Tony and Maria were victims of cultural rivalries.
Both of them suffered in the hands of their own friends.
Riff and Chino, both of whom were extremely prejudiced, led
their gangs in backstreet rumbles.
Both of these gangs consisted of idle youths.
In informal speech, the form the both of is also used:
Example:
The free vacation was a learning experience for the both of
us.

Only one predeterminer can occur before a determiner, and only

one dterminer can occur in a noun phrase.
*The one of the best solutions is quite simple.
One of the best solutions is quite simple.
The (one) best solution is quite simple.
Do not confuse predeterminer a number of with the noun
phrase+preposition the number of. The latter number can
function as subject of a sentence.
Examples:
A number of the scientists are optimistic about finding
extraterrestrial life. (The subject is scientists.)
The number of scientists optimistic about finding
extraterrestrial getting bigger each year. (The subject is number.)