Determiners

A determiner comes before a noun and tells us which one, whose, or how many: ⟦this book⟧, ⟦my bag⟧, ⟦some apples⟧, ⟦every pupil⟧. The articles ⟦a⟧, ⟦an⟧ and ⟦the⟧ are determiners too. Choosing the right one depends on whether the noun is singular or plural, near or far, and whose it is.

Key facts

  • ⟦this⟧ and ⟦these⟧ are for things that are near; ⟦that⟧ and ⟦those⟧ for things that are far away. ⟦this⟧ and ⟦that⟧ go with one thing, ⟦these⟧ and ⟦those⟧ with more than one.
  • Possessive determiners say whose it is: ⟦my⟧, ⟦your⟧, ⟦his⟧, ⟦her⟧, ⟦its⟧, ⟦our⟧, ⟦their⟧. ⟦Its⟧ has no apostrophe: ⟦it's⟧ means ⟦it is⟧.
  • ⟦some⟧ goes in positive sentences, offers and requests; ⟦any⟧ in most questions and negatives; ⟦no⟧ means not any.
  • ⟦every⟧ and ⟦each⟧ go with a singular noun: ⟦every pupil has⟧, ⟦each door is⟧. ⟦each⟧ also works for two things.
  • ⟦all⟧ and ⟦both⟧ go with plural nouns: ⟦all the children⟧, ⟦both girls⟧.

Worked examples

Example 1

Choose: ⟦(This / These) shoes here are new.⟧

  1. ⟦here⟧ tells us they are near.
  2. ⟦shoes⟧ is plural, and the verb is ⟦are⟧: more than one.
  3. Near and more than one: ⟦these⟧.

Answer: ⟦These shoes here are new.⟧

Example 2

Fill the gap: ⟦The dog wagged ___ tail.⟧

  1. The tail belongs to the dog: a thing or animal, ⟦it⟧.
  2. The possessive determiner for ⟦it⟧ is ⟦its⟧, with no apostrophe.

Answer: ⟦its⟧

Example 3

Make it plural: ⟦That box is heavy.⟧

  1. ⟦that⟧ becomes ⟦those⟧.
  2. ⟦box⟧ becomes ⟦boxes⟧ and ⟦is⟧ becomes ⟦are⟧.
  3. ⟦Those boxes are heavy.⟧

Answer: ⟦Those boxes are heavy.⟧

Example 4

Choose: ⟦Is there (some / any / every) juice left?⟧

  1. It is a question, so we usually use ⟦any⟧.
  2. ⟦every⟧ needs a countable singular noun, and ⟦juice⟧ here is uncountable.
  3. ⟦Is there any juice left?⟧

Answer: ⟦any⟧