Grammar
Determiners : Word order
1st Part
The Most Common Determiners
2nd Part
Determiners – Word order
Grammar in use
- Topic : The word order of determiners
- Skills : Grammar
Use
What is a determiner?
| Determiner | Noun |
|---|---|
| the | road |
A determiner is a word used before a noun to give more information about the noun.
What are pre-determiners, central determiners, and post-determiners?
| Pre-determiner | Central Determiner | Post-determiner | Noun |
|---|---|---|---|
| all | the | many | roads |
Depending on its position before the noun, a determiner can be: a central determiner, a predeterminer or a postdeterminer.
A phrase like this example is rare. We usually only use one or two determiners.
There are different types of central determiners. The main ones are:
| Main Central Determiners | Example Words | Example Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| articles | a, an, the | all the time |
| demonstrative adjectives | this, that, these, those | half this page |
| possessive adjectives | my, your, his, her, its, our, their | both my parents |
Pre-determiners include:
| Main Central Determiners | Example Words | Example Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| multipliers | twice, three times… | twice the money |
| fractions | half, one fourth… | half an hour |
| intensifiers | what, such, rather, quite | What a mess! |
| other words | both, all | both my legs |
Post-determiners include:
| Main Central Determiners | Example Words | Example Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| cardinal numbers | one, two, eighty… | the three eagles |
| ordinal numbers | first, second, twenty-third… | the first time |
| general ordinals | last, next, previous… | our next meeting |
| quantifiers | few, several, many… | his several successes |
Language Tips about Determiners
Some words can be determiners or post-determiners, depending on the number of determiners in a sentence and their place.
Examples:
“two” is a determiner in: I need two rackets.
“two” is a post-determiner in: I need the two rackets in the garage. (“two” is placed after the central determiner “the”)
“many” is a determiner in: We know many uses for these products.
“many” is a post-determiner in: We know their many uses. (“many” is placed after the central determiner “their”)
Usually, we only use one pre-determiner. However, it is possible to use two post- determiners, as shown in the 2 examples below.
Examples:
his next two projects
the first three days