The Grammatical Determinative in English
Articles, Demonstratives, Possessive Determiners, Other Determiners
Apr 30, 2009 Heather Marie Kosur
Similar to adjective phrases, the six grammatical forms that function as determinatives provide additional information about a noun phrase or a verb phrase in the form of a present participle. Unlike adjectives which describe attributes of nouns and verbs, determiners provide information such as familiarity, location, quantity, and number. The six grammatical forms that can function as determinatives are:
- Articles
- Demonstrative determiners
- Interrogative determiners
- Possessive determiners
- Quantifiers
- Numerals
The six grammatical forms that function as determinatives are often grouped into the larger category determiner.
Articles as Determinatives
The first grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the article. The definite article in English is the. The indefinite articles in English are a and an. For example, the following italicized determiners function as determinatives:
- The child devoured the banana.
- An apple is a healthy snack.
- The two birds built a nest.
Some grammars also use the term determiner to refer to articles.
Demonstrative Determiners as Determinatives
The second grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the demonstrative determiner. The demonstrative determiners in English are this, that, these, and those. For example, the following italicized demonstrative determiners function as determinatives:
- This puppy belongs to that family.
- These very naughty children need to wash those dishes.
- My boyfriend will return this basketball to those teenaged boys.
Interrogative Determiners as Determinatives
The third grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the interrogative determiner. The interrogative determiners in English are what and which. For example, the following italicized interrogative determiners function as determinatives:
- What book are you reading?
- Which coat belongs to which child?
- You want me to wash which blanket?
Interrogative determiners are most often used in interrogative sentences.
Possessive Determiners as Determinatives
The fourth grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the possessive determiner. The possessive determiners in English are my, your, his, her, its, our, their, and whose. For example, the following italicized possessive determiners function as determinatives:
- My house is your house.
- My reading the book pleases my teacher.
- Whose son destroyed whose car?
The possessive determiner whose is an interrogative possessive determiner.
Quantifiers as Determinatives
The fifth grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the quantifier. Quantifiers in English are words that provide information about quantity such as all, each, every, some, and few. Multipliers such as twice, double, and second and fractions such as one-third and half are also quantifiers. Many quantifiers can also contain the preposition of as in all of and some of. For example, the following italicized quantifiers function as determinatives:
- Each child must eat all of his or her vegetables.
- Some teenagers whine twice the amount as many toddlers.
- None of the students have read any of the books.
Numerals as Determinatives
The sixth grammatical form that can perform the grammatical function of determinative is the numeral. Numerals in English are the numbers used for counting such as one, two, three, and four. For example, the following italicized numerals function as determinatives:
- One animal broke three flowerpots.
- Those two children ate six cookies.
- The twelve Apostles followed one leader.
Multiple Determiners
In English grammar, more than one determiner can function as the determinative of a noun phrase or a verb phrase. The following italicized determiners are examples of multiple determiners functions as the determinative of a single phrase:
- All three of the children refused to eat any of their vegetables.
- The thirteen books were each popular titles.
- All her many accomplishments impressed the search committee.
The six grammatical forms that can function as determinatives in the English language are articles, demonstrative determiners, interrogative determiners, possessive determiners, quantifiers, and numerals. The six forms are often grouped together into the larger category of determiner. Both native English-speaking and ESL students must learn the six grammatical forms to construct sentences that contain determinatives in both spoken and written English.
Sources
Hopper, Paul J. A Short Course in Grammar. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999.
Huddleston, Rodney. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1984.
Kosur, Heather Marie. "The Form-Function Method for Teaching Grammar: Learning English Grammar by Studying Grammatical Form and Function." Suite 101. 16 Apr. 2009. Suite 101. 26 Apr. 2009.
Article Grammar Tree
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Multiple Determiners Grammar Tree
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