Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
CORE CONCEPT
Determiners answer questions like:
- Which one? → This, that, these, those
- How many? → Some, many, few, several
- Whose? → My, your, his, her, its, our, their
- How much? → Much, little, less, more
MAIN TYPES OF DETERMINERS:
1
Articles
a, an, the
2
Demonstratives
this, that, these, those
3
Possessives
my, your, his, her, its, our, their
4
Quantifiers
some, many, few, all, both, each, every
5
Numbers
one, two, three, first, second
6
Interrogatives
which, what, whose (when asking questions)
KEY RULES:
- A determiner MUST come before a noun or noun phrase
- Usually only ONE main determiner before a noun (though exceptions exist)
- Determiners are NOT the same as pronouns (pronouns REPLACE nouns; determiners MODIFY nouns)
- Every noun phrase typically has a determiner
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL asks
- "Identify the determiner" → spot the word before the noun
- "Fill the blank with correct determiner" → use context to choose
- "Which is NOT a determiner?" → distinguish from pronouns or other parts of speech
- Error spotting → wrong determiner used or missing determiner
SHORTCUT/TRICK:
If you can put the word BEFORE a noun AND it specifies or limits that noun, it's likely a determiner. Test: "___ book" — if a word fits and makes sense, check if it's limiting/specifying
Examples
"the book" ✓, "my book" ✓, "some books" ✓, but "beautiful book" ✗ (beautiful is an adjective, not a determiner).
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Find the noun → "umbrellas"
2
Step 2
Look for words BEFORE the noun → "three"
3
Step 3
Check if it specifies/limits the noun → YES, it tells us HOW MANY
Answer: "three" is a determiner (a number/quantifier)
Another example:
Sentence: "Her dog loves that treat."
Determiners: "Her" (possessive, before "dog") and "that" (demonstrative, before "treat")
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students confuse determiners with adjectives. Remember:
- Adjective describes QUALITY → "beautiful day"
- Determiner specifies/limits QUANTITY or POSSESSION → "that day", "my day"
Both can come before nouns, but determiners are about pointing and limiting, not describing qualities.
Key Points to Remember
Determiners are words placed BEFORE nouns to specify, limit, or identify them (the, my, some, this, many).
Six main types: Articles (a, an, the), Demonstratives (this, that, these, those), Possessives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their), Quantifiers (some, many, few, all), Numbers (one, two, first), and Interrogatives (which, what, whose).
Determiners answer key questions: Which one? How many? Whose? How much?
Key difference: Determiners MODIFY nouns (come before them), while pronouns REPLACE nouns entirely.
Usually only ONE main determiner appears before a noun, except in certain phrases like 'all the students' or 'both my friends'.
Quick test: If a word before a noun specifies or limits it (not describes quality), it's a determiner — use this to distinguish from adjectives.
Exam-Specific Tips
There are six main categories of determiners: Articles, Demonstratives, Possessives, Quantifiers, Numbers, and Interrogatives.
The most commonly tested determiners in SSC CGL are articles (a, an, the) and demonstratives (this, that, these, those).
Possessive determiners (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) are sometimes confused with possessive pronouns, but determiners modify nouns while pronouns replace them.
Quantifier determiners include: some, many, few, all, both, each, every, several, most, and little.
The phrase 'all the students' uses TWO determiners (all + the), which is a valid exception to the one-determiner rule.
Interrogative determiners (which, what, whose) are used in questions and MUST come before the noun they modify.
In error-spotting questions, missing articles (a/an/the) before nouns is the most frequently tested determiner error.
Demonstrative determiners change form based on proximity: 'this/these' for near, 'that/those' for far.
Practice MCQs
Determiners — Practice Questions
14graded MCQs · easy to hard · full solution & trap analysis
Identify the error in the sentence below:
Neither of the two candidates (A) / have the necessary (B) / qualifications for this (C) / senior management position (D). / No error (E)
Practice 2easy
Identify the error in the sentence below:
The committee (A) / have decided (B) / that each of the members (C) / should submit their reports by Friday (D). / No error (E)
Practice 3easy
Identify the error in the sentence below:
Each of the department heads (A) / are responsible for (B) / ensuring that their team (C) / meets the quarterly targets (D). / No error (E)
Practice 4easy
Identify the error in the sentence below:
A number of applicants (A) / have applied (B) / for the position, and the (C) / number of qualified candidates are quite small (D). / No error (E)
Practice 5easy
In the following sentence, four parts are underlined. Identify the part that contains a grammatical error.
"Each of the students (A) / have submitted (B) / their assignments (C) / on time. (D)"
(A) Each of the students
(B) have submitted
(C) their assignments
(D) on time
Options:
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No error
Practice 6medium
Identify the error in the sentence:
The number of applicants (A) / have increased (B) / significantly this year, (C) / but the quality of their applications remains questionable. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 7medium
Identify the error in the sentence below. The underlined parts are marked (A), (B), (C), and (D).
"Each of the candidates (A) have submitted (B) their application forms, (C) but few of them understand the requirements (D)."
(A) Each of the candidates
(B) have submitted
(C) their application forms,
(D) but few of them understand the requirements
Options:
a) Part A
b) Part B
c) Part C
d) No error
Practice 8medium
Identify the error in the sentence:
The committee (A) / have decided (B) / that each of the members (C) / should submit their reports by Friday. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 9medium
Identify the error in the sentence:
Neither the manager nor the employees (A) / was willing (B) / to accept the new policy, (C) / which had been implemented without any prior notice. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 10medium
Identify the error in the sentence:
Each of the candidates (A) / were required (B) / to submit their portfolio (C) / along with two letters of recommendation. (D) / No error (E)
Practice 11hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
Each of the employees in the three departments (A) are expected to submit their monthly reports (B) by the end of this week, (C) regardless of whether they have completed their assigned projects. (D) No error (E)
Practice 12hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
All of the research data that were collected during the survey (A) suggests that a majority of the respondents (B) prefer online shopping to visiting physical stores, (C) though some of them still value the tactile experience. (D) No error (E)
Practice 13hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
Many of the applicants who have applied for the scholarship (A) lacks the necessary qualifications, (B) and those who do possess them (C) are often unable to meet the stringent documentation requirements. (D) No error (E)
Practice 14hard
Identify the error in the following sentence:
Neither the manager nor the supervisors (A) was willing to acknowledge the errors (B) that had been made in the previous quarter, (C) despite the mounting evidence presented by the audit committee. (D) No error (E)
60-Second Revision — Determiners
Remember: Determiners = words BEFORE nouns that specify, limit, or identify them (the, my, some, this, many).
Quick identification: Does the word before a noun tell us WHICH ONE, HOW MANY, or WHOSE? If yes, it's a determiner.
Trap: Don't confuse determiners (modify nouns) with pronouns (replace nouns) or adjectives (describe quality).
Formula for testing: Put word + noun. If word narrows down/specifies the noun = DETERMINER. If it describes quality = ADJECTIVE.
Most tested: Articles (a, an, the), Demonstratives (this, that, these, those), Possessives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their), and Quantifiers (some, many, few).
Error-spotting focus: Missing or incorrect articles, wrong demonstrative for proximity, and possessive determiner misuse are top patterns.
Key fact: Every noun phrase typically has a determiner — if you see a noun, check what word comes before it in exam questions.