Pre -Determiners

In my previous post I explained the difference between adjectives and determiners. Determiners can be sub- divided into three sub- classes : pre-determiners, regular determiners and post- determiners .

Pre- Determiners come before regular determiners in a Noun Phrase . I this post I will discuss some commonly used pre-determiners and their proper use in sentences .

ALL. BOTH AND HALF

These pre-determiners are followed by the + noun or demonstrative + noun (these+ noun)

All the ministers resigned from the cabinet .
Both the boys are clever.
Half the apples are rotten.

Of-construction is optional

All of the ministers resigned from the cabinet .
Both the boys are clever.
Half of the apples are rotten .

Please note that if pronouns are used of-construction is required

All of them resigned from the cabinet n.
Both of them are clever.
Half of them are rotten.

There are some intensifiers which are used as pre-determiners , especially in conversational English . These intensifiers are : such, quite rather and what . These pre-determiners indicate the attitude of the speaker. They are followed by a/an and a noun or an adjective .

He is such a darling! (admiration)
It was quite a calm place .(I liked it )
It is rather a small house (I don't like it ) )
What a pretty girl!(wonder)

Multipliers like twice , thrice etc are pre-determiners They are followed by the +noun


She gets thrice the salary of her husband
.
Possessives can be used in the place of the

He gets twice my salary.

Words indicating fractions like one-third, two- fourths etc are pre-determiners

He spends one third salary on travel.

Of- construction is optional

He spends one -third of his salary on travel.




Thank you for visiting!