Determiners

 ‘Determiner’ is a general term for words which are used before nouns to show which
person or thing is being referred to. Determiners of quantity are used to describe
how much or little of something there is.
a complete a large a small zero
amount amount amount amount ➝
all many enough a few no
every much few neither
each most several
both a little
little
The following determiners must only be used with countable nouns in the plural:
We don’t get many tourists here. We get several letters a week.
Hold on with both hands. I take fewer trips abroad these days.
We’ve invited a fewfriends to dinner. So fewpeople attended.
Note: Fewhas a negative meaning, and means ‘almost no’. A fewhas a positive
meaning and means ‘some’.
The following determiners must only be used with uncountable nouns:
Will it take much time? I had less money than I thought.
Add a little salt. We get so little light in this room.
Note: Little has a negative meaning, and means ‘almost no’. A little has a positive
meaning and means ‘some’.
The following determiners can be used with countable nouns in the plural and with
uncountable nouns:
Kim’s got more bags than me. Kim’s got more luggage than me.
Most items of jewellery are made Most gold is used to make jewellery.
from gold.
All children should receive education. All meat is rich in protein.
Do you have enough clothes? We don’t have enough furniture.
He left no instructions. There’s no ice in the fridge.
The following determiners must be used with singular countable nouns:
He checked each document carefully. Every child needs affection.
If you follow one determiner with another determiner (such as the or this) you
usually put of between them.
Take some bread. Take some of the bread.
Every and no cannot be used with of. Every one of or none of is used instead.
Every tree is marked with a cross Every one of the young trees is
marked with a cross.
We have no accurate information. None of this information is
accurate.