Determiners are an essential component of grammar that often goes unnoticed but play a crucial role in providing context, specificity, and clarity to the nouns they modify. These small words and phrases appear at the beginning of noun phrases and help answer questions like “which one,” “how many,” or “whose.” Determiners help us distinguish between a general idea and a specific, well-defined concept, adding precision to our language. In this article, we will explore various examples of determiners, ranging from articles and demonstratives to possessives and quantifiers, to gain a better understanding of how they function in the English language.
Examples of Determiners in Sentences
Definite Articles (the)
1. The sun rises in the east.
Use “the” when referring to a specific, unique item or something that is already known to the listener or reader. In this case, “the sun” refers to the one and only sun we have.
2. I visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
“The” is used when referring to a specific, well-known landmark or noun. The Eiffel Tower is a unique structure.
3. She’s the best candidate for the job.
Use “the” when you want to specify a particular item or person as the one you are talking about. In this case, she is the best candidate among all candidates.
4. The book on the shelf is mine.
“The” is used when referring to a specific item within a group or context. Here, it’s a particular book on a specific shelf.
Indefinite Articles (a/an):
5. I bought a car yesterday.
Use “a” when referring to a non-specific, singular noun that hasn’t been mentioned before in the conversation or is not known to the listener.
6. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
“An” is used before a noun beginning with a vowel sound (“apple”) to indicate a non-specific, singular item. It’s a general statement about apples, not a particular one.
7. She needs a pen to write her note.
Use “a” when introducing a new, unspecified item. In this case, any pen will do for writing the note.
8. He’s an engineer.
“An” is used before a noun starting with a vowel sound (“engineer”) to indicate a non-specific instance of that occupation or role.
9. I need a book.
Here, “a” is used because you are referring to any book in general. It could be any book, not a specific one.
10. I need the book that you mentioned earlier.
“The” is used to specify a particular book, the one that was mentioned earlier in the conversation.
Demonstratives
11. This is my favorite book on the shelf.
“This” indicates something close to the speaker. It refers to a specific book that is nearby.
12. I left my keys on that table.
“That” points to something a bit farther away from the speaker, indicating a specific table but not as close as “this.”
13. These cookies are delicious!
“These” signifies items that are near the speaker, in this case, the cookies within arm’s reach.
14. Can you hand me those papers?
“Those” points to items that are somewhat distant from the speaker, but still specific, like papers that can be seen but require a little effort to reach.
15. I prefer this restaurant over the one downtown.
“This” specifies a particular restaurant out of the available options, providing a sense of specificity.
16. That movie we watched last night was fantastic.
“That” refers to a specific movie that was watched the previous night, making the reference clear and specific.
17. These shoes are too tight; I need a larger size.
“These” makes it evident which shoes the speaker is referring to, indicating specificity.
18. Have you seen those new phones with amazing camera features?
“Those” highlights a particular set of phones, the ones with impressive camera features, making it specific.
19. I need to buy these groceries before heading home.
“These” indicate both proximity (the groceries are nearby) and specificity (the particular groceries needed).
20. Could you pass me that newspaper on the coffee table?
“That” specifies the newspaper on the coffee table (specific) and implies it is within reach (proximity).
Possessives
21. My car is parked in the driveway.
“My” shows that the car belongs to the speaker.
22. Please pass me your phone; mine is out of battery.
“Your” indicates that the phone being referred to belongs to the person being spoken to.
23. His dog is very friendly.
“His” demonstrates that the dog belongs to a specific male person.
24. She found her lost keys.
“Her” shows that the keys belong to a specific female person.
25. The company is known for its innovative products.
“Its” indicates that the innovation is associated with the company.
26. Our team won the championship.
“Our” demonstrates that the speaker is part of a team that won the championship.
27. I admire their dedication to the project.
“Their” shows that dedication is associated with a specific group of people.
28. Its beautiful colors make the peacock a remarkable bird.
“Its” is used to associate the beautiful colors with the peacock as a species.
29. The restaurant is known for its delicious cuisine.
“Its” links the delicious cuisine to the restaurant.
30. The school is proud of its students’ achievements.
“Its” connects the achievements to the school as an institution.
Quantifiers
31. I have many books on my shelf.
“Many” indicates a large quantity of books.
32. She has few friends in this city.
“Few” suggests a small number of friends.
33. I need to buy some groceries for dinner.
“Some” signifies an unspecified quantity, more than one but not necessarily a large amount.
34. There are several options for the weekend getaway.
“Several” implies a number that is more than a few but not too many.
35. All students must complete the assignment.
“All” indicates the entire quantity of students without exception.
Numbers
36. I have three apples in my bag.
Cardinal numbers (e.g., “three”) are used when you want to specify the quantity of items. In this case, it’s three apples.
37. There are twenty students in the classroom.
Cardinal numbers help provide a precise count or number, such as the twenty students in the classroom.
38. He ate five slices of pizza at the party.
Cardinal numbers are used to quantify how many slices of pizza he ate, in this case, five.
39. We need to buy two new laptops for the office.
Cardinal numbers specify the number of laptops required, which is two.
40. She won the first prize in the competition.
Ordinal numbers (e.g., “first”) are used when you want to indicate the order or position of something in a sequence. Here, it’s the prize she won.
41. He finished in second place in the race.
Ordinal numbers show the runner’s position in the race, which is second.
42. The book on the shelf is the third one from the left.
Ordinal numbers are used to indicate the book’s position in the sequence, specifically, the third one from the left.
43. The team secured the fourth spot in the tournament.
Ordinal numbers specify the team’s position in the tournament, which is fourth.
Distributives
44. Each student must complete their assignment by Friday.
“Each” indicates that every student in the group is required to complete their assignment individually.
45. Every employee received a bonus this year.
“Every” emphasizes that each employee, without exception, received a bonus.
46. There are cookies on the table; you can have either the chocolate chip or the oatmeal.
“Either” presents a choice between two individual items (types of cookies) within the group.
47. Neither of the candidates met the qualification criteria.
“Neither” suggests that neither candidate satisfied the qualification criteria individually.
48. Each of the apples is perfectly ripe.
“Each” emphasizes that every individual apple in the group is ripe.
49. Every house on the street is decorated for Halloween.
“Every” indicates that each individual house on the street is decorated.
50. You can take either the blue pen or the black pen.
“Either” specifies a choice between two individual pens from the group.
51. Neither of the movies we watched last night was any good.
“Neither” implies that neither of the individual movies met the standard of being “good.”
52. Each member of the team contributed to the project’s success.
“Each” highlights that every member of the team made an individual contribution to the project.
53. Every child in the class received a certificate.
“Every” emphasizes that each child, without exception, received an individual certificate.
Additional Resources & References:
- Determiners – EF
- Determiners ( the, my, some, this ) – Cambridge Grammar
- Definition, Types, List, and Useful Examples of Determiners – 7ESL
- What Is a Determiner? | Definition, Types & Examples – Scribbr
- What Are Determiners? Definition and Examples – Grammarly
