Grammar
Determiners: choose the words before a noun
Would you say my bag or the my bag? Some words can work together before a noun; these two cannot.
These small words help your listener follow what you mean. Compare common patterns, then try them in short sentences.
Try what you have learned
Listen to a recording, type what you hear, and check your answer.
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this and these DHIS-and-DHEEZ
The vowel and final sound both change: this ends with s, and these ends with z.
The short answer
Say my bag, not the my bag; all my books also works. Plurals can stand alone for a whole type, as in Cats sleep.
My two neighbours share a garden.
Why it works: My shows the link to the speaker; two gives the number.
4 more examples
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talking about family members
She called her brother after lunch.
Her shows a family link here. Leave out the before her.
Not this:She called
the her brotherafter lunch. What changes: The cannot go right before her in this noun group. -
trying on clothes in a shop
These shoes feel very comfortable.
Use These shoes for plural objects near you.
Not this:
This shoesfeel very comfortable. What changes: This does not match the plural noun shoes. -
checking the clock at a bus stop
Do we have much time before the bus leaves?
Here time names an amount, so much fits the question.
Not this:Do we have
many timebefore the bus leaves? What changes: Many needs a plural noun for things you can count; time does not work that way here. -
ordering a hot drink in a cafe
I'd like another cup of tea, please.
Another means one more cup in this request.
Not this:I'd like
other cupof tea, please. What changes: Other alone does not work before cup when you mean one cup.
Quick check
Which sentence is correct when you talk about your coat?
talking about a missing jacket
Answer: I lost my coat on the train.
Show the answer
Answer: I lost my coat on the train.
My already tells us whose coat it is. Do not put the or a before my here.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseYou may mean one bag you own or bags in general. That choice affects the words before the noun. The examples below show the difference.
Choose a pattern before the noun
The problem: I say the my bag, or think every noun needs just one word before it.
The and my cannot sit together right before a noun. Choose the bag or my bag. That does not mean all pairs of words are wrong.
-
Not this:
the my bagSay: my bag
My shows whose bag it is; leave out the.
-
Not this:
this a keySay: this key
This points out the key without a.
All my books is valid. A noun for one item often needs a or my. Plurals and nouns for amounts can stand alone, as in Bikes need space.
| Words | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a or an | an old coat | One item |
| the | the side door | A known item |
| my | my desk | A link to me |
| this or those | this key; those keys | Pointing |
| amounts | some juice; four plates | How much or how many |
| paired words | both my gloves | The whole pair |
| no word | Rain helps plants. | A whole type |
Your turn
Which phrase names all the photos that belong to you?
You own the whole set of photos.
Answer: all my photos
Show the answer
Answer: all my photos
All can go before my photos. The and a cannot go there.
Match this and these
The problem: I said this shoes instead of these shoes because I forgot that the word changes.
This and that can go before one item or an amount, such as this water. These and those go with plurals. This and these often point near you.
Use this for one single thing.
This shirt fits me well.
Use these for plural things.
These shoes fit me well.
-
Look at that tall building over there.
Why it works: Use that tall building for one distant thing.
-
Who owns those blue cars down the street?
Why it works: Use those blue cars for plural distant things.
That and those often point farther away. You can say that music or those chairs. These words can also refer to ideas you have just mentioned.
Your turn
You point to two cups beside you. Which word fits?
___ cups are clean.
Answer: These
Show the answer
Answer: These
These fits nearby plural cups. This and that cannot go with cups here.
Ask about amounts and numbers
The problem: I said much friends instead of many friends because I mixed up quantity words.
Use many with countable nouns (things you can count), such as friends. Use much with uncountable nouns (amounts or ideas treated as a whole), such as sugar.
-
Not this:
We don't have many sugar in the jar.Say: We don't have much sugar in the jar.
Sugar names an amount here, so use much.
-
Not this:
Did you invite much friends to dinner?Say: Did you invite many friends to dinner?
You can count friends, so many fits this plural noun.
Much fits questions and sentences with not. In speech, a lot of often fits better when you say how much there is. You can use many without not.
-
There's a lot of traffic outside.
Why it works: Use a lot of to describe the amount of traffic.
-
Many guests arrived early.
Why it works: Many works here even though this is not a question.
Your turn
Choose much or many for this question.
How ___ chairs do we need?
Answer: many
Show the answer
Answer: many
Use many with plural chairs. Much fits an amount, such as much space.
Another or the other?
The problem: I said other cup when I asked for one more tea.
You can ask for one more cup with another cup. Other can go before plurals, as in other rooms, or before amounts, as in other food.
-
Can I have another cup of coffee?
Why it works: Use another cup for one more single cup.
-
We can visit other places tomorrow.
Why it works: Use other places for plural options.
The other cup can mean the cup left in a pair. My other bag is also valid. So you can use other to refer to just one thing.
-
Not this:
Could we try other route?Say: Could we try another route?
Use another route to ask for a new route. Other alone does not fit here.
Your turn
You want one more sandwich. Which word fits?
I'd like ___ sandwich, please.
Answer: another
Show the answer
Answer: another
Another sandwich means one more sandwich. Other and others cannot fill this gap alone.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Put the words together to ask about the keys.
looking for keys before leaving home
Answer: Where are those car keys?
Show the answer
Answer: Where are those car keys?
Those comes before the noun group car keys.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
You are packing a suitcase for a holiday with your friend. What do you say?
packing luggage for a weekend trip
Answer: I packed my warm jacket in this small bag.
Show the answer
Answer: I packed my warm jacket in this small bag.
My comes before warm jacket; this matches the singular noun bag.
Remember this
Use my bag without the. Match your words to the noun and its use. You can say all my books, but some nouns need no determiner.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
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Listening 1 of 4
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Listening 2 of 4
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Listening 3 of 4
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Listening 4 of 4
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Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
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Listening 1 of 3
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planning dinner in the kitchen
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Listening 2 of 3
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talking about colleagues at work
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Listening 3 of 3
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unpacking groceries on the kitchen counter
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Save my progressQuestions about "Determiners: choose the words before a noun"
Does every noun need a determiner?
No. Plural nouns and nouns for amounts can stand alone when you talk about a whole type. A noun for one countable item usually needs a word such as a, the, or my. The meaning and use of the noun matter.
Music helps me relax.
Dogs need fresh water.
I found a coin beside the lift.
Can two determiners come before the same noun?
Yes, but only in certain patterns. You can put all before my or a number after those. Do not put the directly before my. Learning a whole phrase helps you see which words work together.
All my plants need watering.
Those three windows face the sea.
Do questions always need any instead of some?
No. Any is common in questions when you do not know the answer. Some is common in offers and requests. A question mark alone does not decide the word.
Is there any soap in the bathroom?
Would you like some lemonade?
What is the difference between another and the other?
Another can mean one more or a different one, without pointing to a specific item. The other can mean the one left in a pair. With a plural noun, the other can mean the rest of a known group.
This seat is wet. Let's find another seat.
I have two gloves, but I can only find one. Where's the other glove?
Should I say this water or these water?
Use this water. In this use, water is an uncountable noun: it names an amount, not separate items. These goes with plural nouns. You can count bottles, so these bottles of water is correct.
This water tastes fresh.
These bottles of water are for the walk.
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