Determiner: Explanation and Types with Example Sentences

What Is a Determiner?

A determiner is a word:

placed before a noun to specify quantity e.g., one dog, many dogs, etc.
to clarify what the noun refers to e.g., that dog, my dog, the dog, etc.

Types of Determiners in English:

Articles
Demonstratives
Possessive
Quantifiers
Ordinals
Numbers

You will learn the grammar and use of determiners with types and example sentences after reading this whole explanation.

1. Articles (a/an, the):

The Definite Article (The)

“The” is known as the definite article. It describes its noun as something exact i.e., something already mentioned or recognized, something exclusive, something being recognized by the speaker. For example,

This is the lake.

(This is an already mentioned lake)

The Indefinite Article (A, An)

“A” and “an” are known as indefinite articles. They describe their noun as something undefined i.e., something general, something stated for the very first time. For example,

This is a lake

(This is an already undefined lake.)

Examples of Articles:

I’m the troublemaker!

(This means, I’m the one you’ve already known.”)

The writers are only the transcribers of the gods.

(“The writers” and “the transcribers” are being known. “The gods” are something recognized.)

Buy a car in an hour.
I had a unique chance to assault a surprising blow.

2. Demonstratives (this, that, these, those):

The demonstrative determiners are also known as demonstrative adjectives in outdated grammar. A demonstrative determiner describes where its noun or pronoun is directly in relation to the speaker.

This and these describe close things (in terms of distance, psychological intimacy, or time).
That and those describe distant things.

Examples of Demonstrative Determiners:

In these examples, the noun or pronoun is in bold.

This whale is pregnant.
That one looks happy.
I guilt those times when I’ve selected the dark side.
This agenda will be raised in the meeting.

3. Possessive (my, your, his, her, its, our, their):

The possessive determiners are also known as possessive adjectives in grammar. A possessive determiner comes before a noun or a pronoun to express who or what retains it.

Examples of Possessive Determiners:

Personal Pronoun	Possessive Determiner	Example
I	My	I did not choose my party dress.
You	Your	You should discuss this matter with your father.
He	His	He has done his work efficiently.
She	Her	She got her early education from her mother.
We	Our	Will we spend our holidays in Murree?
They	Their	They do not lose their temper while talking to their elders.

4. Quantifiers (many, much, more, most, some):

Any determiner that mentions an amount or a quantity can be known as a quantifier. So, numbers (one cat, two cats) are quantifiers. Not all quantifiers are so precise though. Several quantifiers mention an indefinite amount or quantity. The most commonly used are any, all, many, much, several, and some.

Examples of Quantifiers:

Many people would attend the gathering.
I bought some batteries from OSAKA.
Is there any apple in the basket?
We’ve visited hilly areas several times.
All of a sudden, they left the party.

types of determiner with example sentences

5. Ordinals (first, second, third, fifth):

An ordinal number refers to the place or order in relation to other numbers: first, second, third, fifth, and so on. These numbers do not signify quantity, but rather specify rank and position. Ordinal numbers are in contrast with cardinal numbers, which signify numerable quantities.

Examples of Ordinals:

The pig positioned first at the annual fair.
He celebrated his third
Tom is my seventh
Our school is the thirty-second in the country.
It is their fifty-third wedding anniversary.

6. Numbers (one, two, five, eleven):

Numbers such as one, two, five, eleven, and one hundred are cardinal numbers. We normally use cardinal numbers as determiners in front of nouns. When we use them in this way, we can use other determiners such as possessives (my, your) and articles (a/an, the) before them.

Examples of Numbers: