MS1 – Lecture 7 – Nouns: Determination I
Determiners :
Central determiners (eg: the, a, this)
Predeterminers (eg: half, all, double; as in all the people)
Postdeterminers (eg: seven, many, few; as in the many passengers)
Central determiners
the, a, and zero
two indefinite articles - a - with singular count nouns
- zero - with non-count and plural count nouns (= no article at all)
the definite article - the - with singular count, plural count, and non-count nouns
spelling and pronunciation
1. Central determiners used with sg. count N, pl. count N and noncount N:
a) the definite article
b) the possessives my, our, your, his, her, its, their
c) the wh-determiners which, whose, whichever, whatever, whosever used as relatives,
indefinite relatives, or interrogatives
d) the negative determiner no
no, none (of):
no + N
none = not one, not any (no N follows)
none of + the/demonstratives/possessives/pronouns
2. Central determiners used with pl. count N and noncount N:
a) zero article
b) the general assertive determiner some
c) the general nonassertive determiner any
d) the quantitative determiner enough
some and any – basic rules
specific situations:
Some – in sentences that have negative words:
- when it implies „not all“
- when the basic meaning is positive
- when we are talking about a particulat but unspecified person or thing
Any – in clauses that begin with before and with comparisons
3. Central determiners used with sg. count N :
a) the indefinite article a/an
b) the universal determiners every and each.
- - every
- with almost, nearly,… - emphasis on group as a whole
- with a numeral
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- with repeated events
- with abstract noncount N – to show a positive attitude
- each – people or things in a pair
- as an independent pronoun
c) the nonassertive dual determiner either.
d) the negative dual determiner neither.
4. Demonstrative determiners
this and that (with non-count and sg. count nouns), these, those (with pl. count nouns)
Predeterminers
- preceding those central determiners with which they can
mutually exclusive (*all both girls)
1. all, both, half
2. the multipliers (double, twice,…)
3. the fractions (one-third, two-fifths,…)
4. such, what (Such a surprise! What a mess!)
co-occur (all the people) but
1. all, both, half
- occur before the articles, the demonstratives, and the possessives:
aIl/ both/ half +
the/these/our
+
students
- do not occur before determiners that themselves entail quantification: every, each,
(n)either, some, any, no, enough
all occurs with plural count nouns and with noncount nouns, as in
all the books
all the music
all books
all music
both occurs with dual count nouns – can refer to only two entities; as in
both the books
both books
half occurs with singular and plural count nouns and with noncount nouns, as in
half the book(s)
half the music
half a book
(but *half music)
ALL vs. WHOLE
all + N without article – usually generic reference
all (of) (the) ~ the whole (of)
a) with temporal N
all (the)/the whole day/morning/week
- but in negations: I haven‘t seen him all day.
b) with count N that are understood to be divisible
all the/the whole family/way/story
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- with concrete sg. count N – often stressed
The monkey ate all the banana. I haven‘t read all the book.
(normally: all of the/the whole book/banana)
- with abstract N – the whole is more common
The whole truth/distance/environment
c) with proper N and other N without the definite article
all (of)/the whole of Finland/London/next month/history
the whole of (Paris) – can denote the population or the city area
d) With noncount N
all (of) the
Have you used up all (of) the coffee?
2. the multipliers
- occur with N denoting quantity
- have two uses as predeterminers:
a) when the following determiner is the definite article, demonstrative or possessive, the
multiplier applies to the noun so determined:
twice/double the length
b) when the following determiner is the indef. article or each or every (or per – less
common), the multiplier applies to a measure (such as frequency) set against the unit
specified by the following noun:
once a day
3. the fractions
one-third, two-fifths,…
- unlike the multipliers, the fractions have the alternative of-construction:
He did it in one-third (of) the time it took me.
- the indefinite article can replace one
He did it in a third (of) the time it took me.
Postdeterminers
- take their place immediately after pre- or central determiners, but precede adjectives and
other premodifying items
1. cardinal numerals (three, seven)
2. ordinal numerals and „general ordinals“ (first, fourth, last)
3. closed-class quantifiers (few, many, several)
4. open-class quantifiers (plenty of, a lot of, lots of)
1. Cardinal numerals
one – with sg. count N (one sister)
all the other cardinal numerals – with pl. count N (two/seven brothers)
- sometimes one replaced with the indefinite article a/an
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2. ordinal numerals and „general ordinals“
first, second, third, fourth,…
next, past, last, (an)other, additional, further
- occur with count N and usually precede cardinal numbers
3. closed-class quantifiers
many, (a) few, several – occur only with pl. count N
much, (a) little – occur only with noncount N
much – more commonly used in negative sentences; in positive sentences – plenty of, a lot
of, lots of
We have plenty of, a lot of, lots of time.
Few and little - with a – have positive meaning
- without a – have negative meaning
4. open-class quantifiers
- phrasal quantifiers → (a/an) + N of quantity + of
The room contained plenty of/a lot of/lots of students/furniture.
(noncount N and pl. count N)
- some used only with noncount N:
The chest contained a great deal/(large/small) quantity/amount of money.
- some used only with pl. count N:
The hall contained a (great/large/good) number of students.
- often are modified
a (great) amount of money; a (great/large/good) number of students
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