Determiners and types of noun

We cannot use all the determiners with all types of noun. We can use some determiners with any type of noun, but others must be followed by certain types of noun.

Determiners and singular countable nouns

Some determiners can only be used with a singular countable noun. These are:

• a/an
• another
• each
• either
• every
• neither
• one

Would you like another glass of water?

Life gets more expensive every day.

A: Can we meet on the 15th or 16th?

B: Sorry. Neither date is good for me. What about the 18th?

See also

• Each
• Every
• Other

Determiners and singular uncountable nouns

Much, (a) little, less and least can only be used with a singular uncountable noun:

• We didn’t get much snow last winter.
• There is little information I can give you, I’m afraid.

We sometimes use less with plural nouns, but this is not always considered correct:

• There were less children there today than last year. (There were fewer children… is considered correct.)

See also

• Much
• Little, a little, few, a few
• Less or fewer?

Determiners and singular countable or uncountable nouns

We use this and that with singular countable or uncountable nouns, but not with plural nouns. This refers to something near the speaker; that refers to something further away:

• That film was fantastic. (countable)
• This furniture is so ugly! (uncountable)

For plural nouns, we use these and those.

See also

• This, that, these, those

Determiners and plural countable nouns

Both, many, (a) few, the numbers two, three, four, etc., several, these and those are only used with plural nouns:

• It all happened many years ago.
• I just have a few photos of my grandparents.
• Several items were missing when we opened the box to unpack everything.

See also

• Both
• Little, a little, few, a few
• Many
• Number

Determiners and uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns

Some determiners can only be used with an uncountable noun or with a plural noun:

all	some /səm/ (weak form)
any (weak form)	zero determiner (i.e. no determiner)
enough

Would you like some juice, or milk? (uncountable noun)

Do we have enough cups for everybody? (plural noun)

We need to buy paper for the printer. (zero determiner, uncountable noun)

See also

• All
• Enough
• Some and any
• Such

Determiners and any type of noun

Some determiners can be used with any type of noun, singular or plural, countable or uncountable.

Determiners which can be used in this way:

• any (‘strong form’ meaning ‘it doesn’t matter which’)
• some (‘strong form’ meaning ‘certain/particular’; stressed and pronounced /sʌm/)
• which (as a question word)
• what (as a question word)
• my, your, his, Anna’s, etc.
• such
• the
• what
• whose
• no

	countable	uncountable
Singular	A: Where would you like to sit?B: Any seat in the front row will be fine. (I don’t mind which seat/It’s not important which seat)Whose jacket is this?	Any information you can give me about the trains would be very useful.Whose advice do you listen to most, your parents’ or your teachers’?
Plural	Some students always turn up late for class. (certain students)There were no children at the hotel.	Some processed meat contains a high level of salt.I have no news for you.

See also

• Some and any

Determiners followed by pronouns

We can use these determiners + of before pronouns:

(a) few, fewer	each	many	one, two, three, etc.
(a) little	either	more	several
another	enough	most	some
all	everyone	much	those
any	half	neither	which
both	less

We had twenty tickets to sell and we sold all of them in less than an hour.

A: Which box do you want?

B: Either of them will be fine, thanks.

We’ve got loads of umbrellas – you can borrow one of ours.

See also

• Both
• All