Determiners – CBSE Class 10 English Grammar
What are Determiners?
Determiners
- A determiner is a word which is used to modify a noun or a noun phrase.
- It is a word which provides context or reference to a noun.
- It can also show the quantity, quality, position or specificity of the noun.
- Various parts of speech can function as determiners to the noun:
- Articles
- Demonstrative adjectives
- Numeral adjectives
- Adjectives of quantity
- Possessive adjectives
Articles
Definite Articles
- Definite articles are used as determiners to express the specificity of the noun.
- They can be used to refer to singular or plural nouns.
- They can be used to refer to countable and uncountable nouns.
Indefinite Articles
- Indefinite articles are used to refer to the noun in the general sense.
- They are used to refer to the noun for the first time.
- Example: There is a lady on the phone. (The noun phrase ‘a lady’ is mentioned for the first time.)
- They are used to refer to a particular group or class of nouns.
- They are used with singular nouns.
- They are used to refer to countable nouns only.
Demonstrative Adjectives
- Demonstrative adjectives are words to point out a specific noun or noun phrase.
- That and This are used with singular nouns. Those and These are used with plural nouns.
- This and These are used to point towards nouns which are nearby. That and Those are used to point towards nouns which are far away.
Numeral Adjectives
- Numeral adjectives are words which specify the number of the noun.
- Cardinal numeral adjectives are numbers. (one, two, three)
- Ordinal numeral adjectives are numerical rankings. (first, second, third)
Adjectives of Quantity
- Adjectives of quantity are words which suggest the quantity of the noun.
Possessive Adjectives
- Possessive adjectives are used to indicate the possession or ownership of a noun to another.
- They can be confused with pronouns, but they are actually adjectives.