In brief
- Definition: a word placed before a noun to specify its quantity, possession, or identity.
- Main categories: articles, demonstratives, possessives, quantifiers, numerals, interrogatives.
- A or an: the choice depends on the sound, not the letter, that follows.
- Position: always before the noun, and before the adjective if there is one.
- Common mistake: confusing determiners and adjectives, when only the former specifies the noun without describing it.
An English sentence without a determiner before the noun often sounds incomplete or ambiguous. These words, placed just before a noun, indicate what or who is being talked about. This guide presents the different categories of English determiners, their usage rules, and concrete examples.
What are determiners in English?
A determiner is a word that accompanies a noun to clarify its meaning. It answers questions like: how many? whose? which one? Without a determiner, a singular countable noun often remains incomplete in English.
English determiners are divided into several families: articles, demonstratives, possessives, quantifiers, numerals, and interrogatives. Each family serves a different need.
| Family | Examples | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Articles | a, an, the | Known or unknown identity |
| Demonstratives | this, that, these, those | Proximity or distance |
| Possessives | my, your, his, her, its, our, their | Ownership |
| Quantifiers | some, any, much, many, few, little | Quantity |
| Numerals | one, two, first, second | Exact number or order |
| Interrogatives | what, which, whose | Question about the noun |
Definite and indefinite articles
Two categories of articles exist in English: the indefinite article (a or an) and the definite article (the). The choice between a and an depends on the sound that follows, not the written letter.
A precedes a word starting with a consonant sound. An precedes a word starting with a vowel sound, even if the first written letter is a consonant, as in an hour. The is used when the item being discussed is already identified by both speakers, or clearly determined by the context.
The details of the rules and exceptions surrounding these three words can be found in the guide on the articles a, an, and the in English.
- A car is parked outside. → A car is parked outside.
- An elephant never forgets. → An elephant never forgets.
- The book on the table is mine. → The book on the table is mine.
Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
Demonstratives indicate distance and number. This and these refer to something close, singular for the former and plural for the latter. That and those refer to something distant, also singular then plural.
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| this (singular, close) | This pen writes well. | This pen writes well. |
| that (singular, distant) | That house looks old. | That house looks old. |
| these (plural, close) | These shoes are new. | These shoes are new. |
| those (plural, distant) | Those birds are loud. | Those birds are loud. |
Possessives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Possessive determiners indicate who owns a noun. Unlike in French, their form depends on the person who owns, not the gender of the object owned.
- my: 1st person singular
- your: 2nd person singular or plural
- his: 3rd person singular, male owner
- her: 3rd person singular, female owner
- its: 3rd person singular, object or animal
- our: 1st person plural
- their: 3rd person plural
A complete overview of these forms, with exercises, can be found in the guide on possessive pronouns and adjectives in English.
- Her sister works abroad. → Her sister works abroad.
- Our neighbours are friendly. → Our neighbours are friendly.
Quantifiers
Quantifiers specify a quantity, exact or approximate. Their choice often depends on the type of noun: countable or uncountable.
| Type of noun | Large quantity | Small quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Countable | many | few / a few |
| Uncountable | much | little / a little |
| Both | a lot of, most | some, any |
Few and little, without an article, give a negative nuance close to “almost none”. A few and a little keep a neutral or positive nuance, close to “some” or “a bit”.
- She has few friends here. → She has few friends here (negative nuance).
- She has a few friends here. → She has a few friends here (neutral nuance).
Numerals
Numerals indicate a precise quantity or a rank. Two categories exist: cardinal numbers, which count (one, two, three), and ordinal numbers, which rank (first, second, third).
- They have three children. → They have three children.
- She finished second in the race. → She finished second in the race.
Interrogatives and exclamatives
Some determiners are used to ask a question or express a reaction. What and which introduce a question, the latter implying a limited choice. Whose asks about possession. What and such can also introduce an exclamation.
- Which coat is yours? → Which coat is yours?
- Whose bag is this? → Whose bag is this?
- What a surprise! → What a surprise!
The position of the determiner in the sentence
In English, the determiner is always placed before the noun. An adjective can be inserted between the two, but the determiner always remains in the first position.
- a red car: a red car
- my old phone: my old phone
- those small dogs: those small dogs
When a numeral accompanies another determiner, it is placed after it: his three books, and not the other way around. A determiner and an adjective are distinguished by their role: the determiner specifies the noun (quantity, possession, identity), the adjective describes a quality (color, size, character).
Practical exercise
Check your knowledge of English determiners:
1. I saw ___ elephant at the zoo yesterday.
2. ___ books over there belong to my sister.
3. He gave the keys to ___ sister.
4. There isn’t ___ milk left in the fridge.
5. ___ film did you prefer, the first or the second one?
6. She has ___ three cats at home.
Your score
