Chapter 20: Determiners

 word beginning with some does not occur at the beginning of a clause, can be changed 
to express a negative meaning by changing the sentence to a negative statement using not, and 
by changing the word beginning with some to the corresponding word beginning with any. 
e.g. Affirmative Meaning: I met someone I used to know. 
 Negative Meaning: I did not meet anyone I used to know. 
 Affirmative Meaning: We will buy something. 
 Negative Meaning: We will not buy anything. 
In such sentences, nobody, no one, nothing or nowhere may be used instead of a negative 
statement with not and the word anybody, anyone, anything or anywhere. 
e.g. I met no one I used to know. 
 We will buy nothing. 
However, the construction with not is more often used. 
6. The use of Another, Other, Others and Else 
The words another, other, others and else are used to indicate one or more additional or 
different things. 
Another is formed from a combination of the words an and other, and has a meaning similar to 
one other. When used as an adjective, another can precede only a singular countable noun. 
When used as a pronoun, another takes a singular verb. 
e.g. Please bring me another knife. 
 Another of her uncles lives in Montreal. 
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In the first example, another modifies the singular noun knife. In the second example, the 
pronoun another is the subject of the singular verb lives. 
Other can be used with singular countable, plural countable or uncountable nouns. 
e.g. The other door is open. 
 The other streets are paved. 
 Do you have any other luggage? 
In these examples, other modifies the singular countable noun door, the plural countable noun 
streets, and the uncountable noun luggage. 
Another usually cannot be immediately preceded by a determiner. In contrast, when used before 
a singular countable noun, other usually must be preceded by a determiner. 
e.g. Please pass me the other cup. 
 I do not know any other way to do it. 
 There must be some other explanation. 
In these examples, other is used with the singular countable nouns cup, way and explanation, 
and is preceded by the determiners the, any and some. 
When other modifies a singular countable noun, the noun is sometimes omitted, particularly in 
the expression one ... the other. 
e.g. I have two pens. One is green and the other is blue. 
 One of my parents is a teacher; the other is a doctor. 
In these examples, the nouns following the word other are understood, rather than expressed. In 
the following sentences, the nouns which are understood are enclosed in square brackets. 
e.g. I have two pens. One is green and the other [pen] is blue. 
 One of my parents is a teacher; the other [parent] is a doctor. 
Others is a pronoun. Others can be used to take the place of the word other, followed by a 
plural countable noun. 
e.g. Those trees are hemlocks; the others are pines. 
 Ten people belong to the group, and five others are planning to join. 
In the first example, others takes the place of the words other trees. In the second example, 
others takes the place of the words other people. 
Others is often used in the expression some ... others. 
e.g. Some books are easy to read, but others are quite difficult. 
 Some people like classical music, while others prefer jazz. 
The word else has a meaning similar to other. However, rather than being used as an adjective 
preceding a noun, else usually follows interrogative pronouns such as who and what, and 
indefinite pronouns such as anyone and someone. 
e.g. Who else was at the meeting? 
 What else is on the agenda? 
 Has anyone else solved the problem? 
 Someone else may be able to help you. 
7. The use of Only 
In addition to being used as a determiner, the word only can be used to modify almost any part of 
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a sentence. In general, the word only immediately precedes the part of the sentence which it 
modifies. 
The following examples illustrate how changing the position of the word only can change the 
meaning of a sentence. 
e.g. Only the trees were somewhat damaged by last year's storm. 
 Meaning: Nothing except the trees was somewhat damaged by last year's storm. 
 The only trees were somewhat damaged by last year's storm. 
 Meaning: The few trees which existed were somewhat damaged by last year's storm. 
 The trees were only somewhat damaged by last year's storm. 
 Meaning: The trees were not completely damaged by last year's storm. 
 The trees were somewhat damaged only by last year's storm. 
 Meaning: The trees were somewhat damaged by nothing except last year's storm. 
 The trees were somewhat damaged by last year's only storm. 
 Meaning: The trees were somewhat damaged by the one storm which occurred last year. 
8. The use of Few, Little and Several 
The use of the word a with the determiners few and little somewhat changes the meaning which 
is expressed. 
The expressions a few and a little merely refer to a small quantity of something. 
e.g. A few of his friends came to the party. 
 Meaning: Some of his friends came to the party. 
 I had a little time to consider the situation. 
 Meaning: I had a small amount of time to consider the situation. 
In contrast, few and little not only refer to a small quantity of something, but also imply that the 
quantity is remarkably, or undesirably small. 
e.g. Few of his friends came to the party. 
 Meaning: Only a very small number of his friends came to the party. 
 I had little time to consider the situation. 
 Meaning: I had almost no time to consider the situation. 
The expressions a few and several can both be used to refer to three or more things. However, 
there is a slight difference in meaning. The expression a few generally emphasizes that the 
quantity referred to is relatively small, while the expression several generally emphasizes that 
the quantity referred to is relatively large. 
For instance, the following sentences could both refer to an event which occurred four or five 
times. 
e.g. I saw him a few times. 
 Meaning: I saw him, but I did not see him often. 
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 I saw him several times. 
 Meaning: I saw him more than once or twice. 
9. The expressions Such ... That, So ... That, and Too 
a. Such ... That 
The determiner such is often used in combination with a clause beginning with that, in order to 
indicate a cause and effect relationship. 
e.g. There was such a strong wind that we decided to stay indoors. 
 He has such high marks that he has applied for a scholarship. 
In the first example, a strong wind refers to the cause, and we decided to stay indoors refers to 
the effect. In the second example, high marks refers to the cause, and he has applied for a 
scholarship refers to the effect. 
It should be noted that when such is used as an adjective modifying a singular countable noun, 
the word a or an usually follows the word such. 
e.g. such a strong wind 
 such an unusual event 
The construction usually used with the expression such ... that is summarized below, followed 
by examples. 
 such a that clause stating the 
 such an + adjective + noun + effect of the situation 
 or such described in the main clause 
 She is such a hard worker that she is sure to succeed. 
 That is such an interesting book that I read it three times. 
 He has such good ideas that he may be promoted. 
b. So ... That 
The word so combined with a clause beginning with that can also be used in order to indicate a 
cause and effect relationship. 
Whereas such usually modifies a noun, in this construction so is used as an intensifier modifying 
an adjective or adverb. Intensifiers will be discussed in a later chapter. 
e.g. The wind was so strong that we decided to stay indoors. 
 His marks are so high that he has applied for a scholarship. 
 The wind blew so fiercely that we decided to stay indoors. 
In the first two examples, so modifies the adjectives strong and high. In the last example, so 
modifies the adverb fiercely. 
This construction is summarized below, followed by examples. 
 adverb or that clause stating the 
 subject + verb + so + adjective + effect of the situation 
 described in the main clause 
 She sang so well that she had to sing an encore. 
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 The moon was so bright that we could see for miles. 
In informal English, the word that in the expressions such ... that and so ... that is often omitted. 
e.g. There was such a strong wind, we decided to stay indoors. 
 The moon was so bright, we could see for miles. 
So can also be followed by many, much, few or little, followed by a noun, followed by a clause 
beginning with that. This construction is summarized below, followed by examples. 
 many that clause stating the 
 so + much, + noun + effect of the situation 
 few or described in the main clause 
 little 
 There were so many spectators that there was standing room only. 
 I did so much swimming that I became very strong. 
 He knew so few people that he often felt lonely. 
 There was so little snow that we could not go skiing. 
c. Too 
The intensifier too used in combination with an infinitive can also be used to indicate a cause 
and effect relationship. In the following examples, the word too is printed in bold type, and the 
infinitives are underlined. 
e.g. It is too windy for us to go outside. 
 He is too poor to continue studying without a scholarship. 
 It was raining too hard for us to leave the house. 
In the first two examples, too modifies the adjectives windy and poor. In the last example, too 
modifies the adverb hard. 
The construction usually used with too in combination with an infinitive is summarized below, 
followed by examples. 
 adverb or phrase containing an infinitive, 
 subject + verb + too + adjective + indicating the effect of the 
 situation described using too 
 They walked too quickly for me to overtake them. 
 The writing was too difficult to read.