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DETERMINERSDETERMINERS

Help to identify things and used to show quantity.Help to identify things and used to show quantity.

Determiners are words like a, the, my, this, some, Determiners are words like a, the, my, this, some,

either, every,enough etc.either, every,enough etc.

But they are But they are NOT ADJECTIVES NOT ADJECTIVES even though they even though they

come at the beginning of noun phrases.come at the beginning of noun phrases.

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The The earthearth

My My sistersister

Either Either solutionsolution

Each Each boyboy

This This monthmonth

There are 2 main groups There are 2 main groups of determiners : of determiners :

a) Group A determinersa) Group A determiners b) Group B determiners b) Group B determiners

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Group A Group A determinersdeterminers

• Help to identify things. Examples are :Help to identify things. Examples are : Articles : a/an, the Articles : a/an, the Possessive : my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their, Possessive : my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their, one’s, whoseone’s, whose Demonstratives : this, these, that, thoseDemonstratives : this, these, that, those

• Note that two Group A determiners cannot be put Note that two Group A determiners cannot be put together. We can say together. We can say the the catcat,, mymy catcat or or thisthis catcat, but , but not not the my the my catcat, or , or my this my this catcat..

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• In order to put together the meanings of two Group In order to put together the meanings of two Group A determiners, we have to use the structure A determiners, we have to use the structure aa//thisthis……of mineof mine//yours yours etc.etc.

• Examples are :Examples are : This This car ofcar of mine mine ThatThat cat of cat of yoursyours This This house ofhouse of his his

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Group B Group B determinersdeterminers

Most Group B determiners are quantifiers. Most Group B determiners are quantifiers. Examples are :Examples are :

SomeSome,, any,no any,no EachEach, , everyevery,, either either,, neither neither MuchMuch,, many many,, more more,, most most ; ; a little, lessa little, less, , leastleast; ; a fewa few, ,

fewerfewer, , fewestfewest;; enoughenough, , severalseveral AllAll, , bothboth, , halfhalf WhatWhat, , whateverwhatever, , whichwhich, , whicheverwhichever OneOne, , twotwo, , three three etc.etc.

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Some Group B determiners are used with singular Some Group B determiners are used with singular nouns. Examples are : nouns. Examples are : each, every, either, neither each, every, either, neither etc.etc.

Some Group B determiners are used with plural Some Group B determiners are used with plural nouns. Example : nouns. Example : manymany

Some are used with uncountable nouns. Example : Some are used with uncountable nouns. Example : muchmuch

There are also some Group B determiners which There are also some Group B determiners which can be used with more than one kind of noun. can be used with more than one kind of noun. Example : Example : whichwhich

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ManyMany people are unable to control their temper. people are unable to control their temper. James is one of them. Due to this, he has veryJames is one of them. Due to this, he has very few few friends. He has to attend friends. He has to attend severalseveral courses on temper courses on temper management to improve himself. management to improve himself.

Two Group B determiners can be put together if the Two Group B determiners can be put together if the combination makes sense. Examples are : combination makes sense. Examples are :

Buses leave Buses leave every ten every ten minutes.minutes. Have you got Have you got any more any more rice ?rice ?

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NOTESNOTES

Group B determiners can be used directly before Group B determiners can be used directly before nouns, nouns, without without ofof..

Has he got any friends ? Has he got any friends ?

Has he got any of friends ? Has he got any of friends ? XX

Most people like babies. Most people like babies.

Most of people like babies. Most of people like babies. XX

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But note that if we want to put a Group B But note that if we want to put a Group B determiners before a noun with a Group A determiners before a noun with a Group A determiners (article, demonstrative, or possessive), determiners (article, demonstrative, or possessive), we have to use of.we have to use of.

Compare :Compare :

Each child was given a prize.Each child was given a prize. Each of my children was given a prize. Each of my children was given a prize.

Neither answer is correct. Neither answer is correct.

Neither of these answers is correct. Neither of these answers is correct.

All my friends live abroad. All my friends live abroad.

All of my friends live abroad. All of my friends live abroad.

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THE ENDTHE END