Grammar
- Determiners are words placed before nouns to provide information about them. They may indicate:
- Quantity: many dogs, some students
- Ownership: my shoes, your house
- Definiteness or specificity: a book, the book
- Direction or reference: this car, those days
- Distribution: each student, both cars
- Determiners are also called clarifying words because they make the meaning of a noun more specific.
- Examples:
- Many dogs were barking. → tells us the number of dogs was large.
- There are some students in the class. → tells us that an unspecified number of students are present.
- I have a few friends. → tells us that the speaker has a small number of friends.
- I have a little money. → tells us that the speaker has a small amount of money.
Countable and uncountable nouns
- Countable nouns can be counted individually:
- one potato, two potatoes
- a book, several books
- a few flowers
- Uncountable nouns are not normally counted as separate individual units:
- milk, sugar, rice, money, time, hope, love, information
- We count the containers or units instead: a glass of milk, a bag of sugar, a bowl of rice.
- The choice of a quantifier depends largely on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
A few and few
- A few + plural countable noun
- Means a small number, usually with a positive or neutral meaning.
- It suggests that there are some, and that the number is sufficient.
- Examples:
- I have a few friends.
- I have a few flowers in my garden.
- I would like to ask a few questions.
- Few + plural countable noun
- Means hardly any or not many.
- It usually conveys a negative meaning.
- Examples:
- Few people came to see me.
- I have seen few birds there.
- Many people were invited, but few came.
A little and little
- A little + uncountable noun
- Means a small amount, with a positive or neutral meaning.
- It suggests that some amount exists and may be useful.
- Examples:
- I have a little time on Sunday.
- I have a little hope.
- She has a little experience.
- Little + uncountable noun
- Means hardly any or not much.
- It usually conveys a negative meaning.
- Examples:
- They had little money for the party.
- I have little time for television.
- Main distinction:
- a few / a little → some, although not much
- few / little → hardly any
Some
- Some is generally used in affirmative sentences.
- It refers to an unspecified quantity or number.
- It can be used with both plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
- Examples:
- I had some rice for dinner.
- We will read some books.
- There are some good teachers on YouTube.
- I need some help.
- Would you like some coffee?
- Some does not give an exact number or amount. It simply indicates that an amount exists.
Any
- Any is mainly used in negative and interrogative sentences.
- It refers to an unspecified person, thing, number, or amount.
- It can be used with countable and uncountable nouns.
- Examples:
- Do you have any friends in London?
- She does not want any help.
- I do not waste any food.
- She did not find anyone there.
- Basic contrast:
- Affirmative: I have some money.
- Negative: I do not have any money.
- Question: Do you have any money?
Much and many
- Much is used with uncountable nouns.
- It refers to a large amount.
- Examples:
- There is not much light in this room.
- I do not know much about this subject.
- How much time will you need?
- I do not have much money.
- Many is used with plural countable nouns.
- It refers to a large number.
- Examples:
- Many people came to see him.
- I have many questions to ask.
- She has many cars.
- Remember:
- much + uncountable noun
- many + plural countable noun
Several
- Several is used with plural countable nouns.
- It means more than two or three, but not a very large number.
- It can also suggest a variety of things.
- Examples:
- He gave me several gifts.
- Several students answered the question.
- Approximate comparison:
- a few → a small number
- several → more than a few, but not a very large number
- many → a large number
A lot of, lots of, and plenty of
- A lot of and lots of indicate a large quantity or number.
- They can be used with:
- Plural countable nouns
- Singular uncountable nouns
- Examples:
- She has a lot of money.
- I have lots of things to do.
- There are a lot of students in the class.
- Lots of is generally more informal than a lot of.
- Both are more common in everyday speech than in formal academic writing.
- Plenty of means more than enough.
- It can be used with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
- Examples:
- The thermos can hold plenty of tea.
- A plenty of my friends live here.
- In standard usage, plenty of my friends is preferred.
More formal expressions for large quantities
- With uncountable nouns:
- a large amount of
- a great deal of
- With plural countable nouns:
- a large number of
- a great number of
- Examples:
- A large amount of money was spent.
- A great deal of work remains.
- A large number of people attended the event.
Articles
- The main English articles are:
- a
- an
- the
- A and an are indefinite articles. They refer to one non-specific person or thing.
- This is a chair.
- He is a boy.
- Use a before a consonant sound:
- a boy
- a car
- a unique person
- Unique begins with the consonant sound /juː/.
- Use an before a vowel sound:
- an elephant
- an honor
- The h is silent.
- an MBA
- The abbreviation begins with a vowel sound.
- The choice between a and an depends on pronunciation, not merely on the first written letter.
- The is the definite article. It refers to a particular or previously identified person or thing.
- I saw a dog. The dog was barking.
- I want to visit the Eiffel Tower.
- The transcript highlights the use of the with:
- Superlatives: the best
- Ordinal numbers: the first
- Decades: the 1990s
- Certain groups, republics, and kingdoms
- Famous buildings: the Eiffel Tower
- Examples from the lesson:
- English is my favorite language.
- No article is normally used when referring to the language generally.
- Indonesia is a beautiful country.
- No article is normally used before this country name.
- I would like to visit the Eiffel Tower.
Predeterminers
- Predeterminers occur before the article in structures such as:
predeterminer + a/an + adjective + noun
- The lesson introduces:
- what
- such
- quite
- rather
- Examples:
- What a lovely day!
- Such a smart teacher!
- It is quite a nice day.
- It is rather a small house.
- General meanings:
- What a/an → strong exclamation
- Such a/an → emphasizes the quality of something
- Quite a/an → emphasizes a fairly high degree
- Rather a/an → indicates a notable or somewhat less positive degree
Demonstrative determiners
- Demonstratives point to particular people or things:
- this → singular, usually near
- that → singular, usually farther away
- these → plural, usually near
- those → plural, usually farther away
- Examples:
- This car is mine.
- That house is beautiful.
- These apples are fresh.
- Those days are gone.
Possessive determiners
- Possessive determiners show ownership or association:
- my, your, his, her, its, our, their
- Examples:
- my shoes
- your house
- our car
- their homework
- They give additional information about the noun:
- I want to see your homework.
- This is our house.
Distributive determiners
- Each refers to members of a group individually.
- Each student received a book.
- Every refers to all members of a group individually, usually as a whole idea.
- Every student must attend.
- All refers to the entire group or total amount.
- All the milk was spoiled.
- All the students were present.
- Half refers to one of two equal parts.
- I need half of the banana.
- Both refers to two people or things together.
- Both my cars are black.
- Either refers to one of two alternatives.
- Either option is acceptable.
- Neither means not one and not the other of two alternatives.
- Neither car is working.
Key exam rules
- Use a few with plural countable nouns for a small but sufficient number.
- Use few with plural countable nouns to express an insufficient or very small number.
- Use a little with uncountable nouns for a small but sufficient amount.
- Use little with uncountable nouns to express an insufficient amount.
- Use some mainly in affirmative sentences.
- Use any mainly in negative and interrogative sentences.
- Use much with uncountable nouns.
- Use many with plural countable nouns.
- Use a/an according to sound, not spelling.
- Use the for a particular or already identified noun.
- Use demonstratives to point out nouns and possessive determiners to show ownership.