Determiners

Overview

Determiners are words we put before nouns to give more information about them. They help us know which one, how many, or whose. 

Types of determiners

Articles  – the most common determiners

• a – used before singular nouns that start with a consonant sound

  • Example: I saw a cat.

• an – used before singular nouns that start with a vowel sound

  • Example: She ate an apple.

• the – used for specific nouns (singular or plural)

  • Example: The book on the table is mine.

Demonstratives  – show which one(s)

• this, that, these, those

  • Example: This shirt is clean.

  • Example: Those cookies are delicious.

Possessives  – show ownership

• my, your, his, her, its, our, their

  • Example: My phone is charging.

  • Example: Their team won.

Quantifiers  – show how many or how much

• some, many, few, much, a lot of, several, all

  • Example: We saw many stars.

  • Example: I don’t have much time.

Numbers  – exact quantity:

• one, two, three, etc.

  • Example: He has two dogs.

Helpful tip

 Every time you use a noun, think about whether it needs a determiner in front. If you’re talking about something general, use a/an. If it’s specific, use the.