Some theory and practice on determiners and pronouns

1. DETERMINERS AND PRONOUNS
ARTICLES.
ARTICLES
Indefinite article: a / an*
+ singular countable nouns
*We use an before a word beginning with
a vowel or mute h: I’ve got an uncle who
works in a factory.
When it is mentioned for the first time:
I’ve bought a new mobile phone.
With general descriptions: A footballer is
a person who plays football.
With a person’s job or character: Mary is
an engineer.
Peter is a fool!
Definite article: the
+ singular / plural nouns
- With unique objects and known
references: The war lasted for six
years. (we know which war)
- Before a noun made definite by the
addition of a phrase or clause: The boy
that I met is really nice.
With nationalities and other groups of
people: The Spanish love dancing.
With adjectives to describe groups of
people: The rich usually live in big
houses.
With collective nouns: The government is
very unpopular.
With geographical features (rivers,
oceans, deserts, etc.): The Sahara.
With musical instruments: Do you play
the guitar?

2. Zero article (no article)
+ plural / uncountable nouns
- When we are talking generally: War is
a terrible thing.
Dogs are not allowed in this shop.
With most countries, states and cities:
Marie comes from France.
* but countries which are plural or a
group use the: We left the United
Kingdom and crossed to the
Netherlands.
- With regions, lakes, mountains and
islands: Diana climbed Mont Blanc in
record time.
- With most streets: I bought this dress
from a shop in Bond Street.
- With general historical references:
Ancient Rome is a fascinating period of
history.
- With by for general forms of transport:
We went there by train.
- With certain buildings, where the
purpose of the building is more
important than the place itself: Jill is in
prison/hospital/bed, etc. (which prison/
hospital/bed is not important)

3. OTHER DETERMINERS AND PRONOUNS.
all (of the) +
plural / uncountable nouns
All people have to eat in order to live. (=
All people in general)
All of the people in the room are students.
(= all the people who are in the room)
I’ve drunk all (of) the milk.
every / each (of)
+ singular countable nouns
The police want to interview every member
about the theft. (= all the members)
Each man had a weapon. (= all of the
men)
Each of the members has one vote.
little
+ uncountable nouns
Little is known about the side-effects of this
drug. ( = hardly anything)
This sauce needs a little salt. (= a small
amount of salt)
few
+ plural nouns
Few towns have such splendid trees. (=
not many)
We’ve been having a few problems with
the new computer. (= some)
most (of the)
+ plural / uncountable nouns
Most people like meat. (= people in
general)
Most of the students in my class like meat.
(= those students in particular)
some
+ plural / uncountable nouns
In affirmative sentences: There are some
flowers in the garden.
In offers and requests: Would you like
some cake?
any
+ plural / uncountable nouns
In interrogative and negative sentences:
Has he got any brothers or sisters?
There isn’t any sugar left.
much
+ uncountable nouns
Usually in negative sentences:
I haven’t much time to do my homework.
many
+ plural nouns.
Usually in negative sentences:
He didn’t make many mistakes.
a lot of / lots of
+ plural / uncountable nouns
Usually in affirmative sentences:
He’s lost a lot of weight.
I saw lots of seabirds.

4. no
+ plural / singular nouns
There’s no train until tomorrow. (=There
isn’t a train until tomorrow.)
She gave me no help at all. (=She didn’t
give me any help at all.)
No answers could be found.
none (of)
+ plural / uncountable nouns.
He had none of the usual symptoms. (=
He didn’t have any of the usual
symptoms.)
None of the tourists wanted to climb the
mountain.
We expected letters, but none came.
someone / somebody
something
somewhere
Someone / Somebody wants to speak to
you on the phone. (they refer to people)
There’s something on the table. (it refers
to objects, events)
I’ve seen that man somewhere. (it refers to
places)
anyone /anybody
anything
anywhere
Mainly in interrogative and negative
sentences:
Would anyone / anybody like a drink?
Do you want anything from the chemist?
Are you going anywhere?
everyone/everybody
everything
everywhere
Everyone / Everybody needs to bring
something to eat.
Have you got everything you need?
I’ve looked everywhere for it.
no one / nobody
nothing
nowhere
At first I thought there was no one /
nobody in the room.
I have nothing new to tell you.
Young people have nowhere to go.

5. Choose the correct alternatives.
A: I like the Italian / Italian food.
B: Yeah, but I don’t like the food / food at that new Italian restaurant.
A: Yes. And waiters / the waiters there aren’t very friendly neither.
B: I agree.
A: Restaurants / The restaurants should be relaxing places.
B: But music / the music in that Italian place is always too loud.
A: Well, they say that patience / the patience is a virtue.
B: But pizzas / the pizzas arrived an hour late.
2. Complete the text with articles where they are necessary.
‘Ageism’ is often described as discrimination against ______ older people. ______ older
generation in our society is often forgotten or ignored. For example, it can be difficult for
_____ people over the age of 50 to find a job. ______ reason for this is that ______
companies often think that ______ younger people will work harder. However, they forget
that ______ experience of an older person can be very valuable.
A good organization should combine _______ energetic ideas of ______ younger
generation with ______ knowledge and wisdom of the more mature member of our society.
3. Complete the text with the articles a /an or the where they are necessary.
It has been announced that for _______ third consecutive month there has been ________
rise in _______ number of ________ people unemployed, rather than ________ fall that
had been predicted. _________ rise was blamed on ________ continuing uncertainty over
________ government economic policy, and couldn’t come at ________ worst time for
_________ Prime Minister, who is facing __________ growing criticism over _________
way ________ present crisis is being handled. _________ MPs are increasingly voicing
_________ fears that despite _________ recent devaluation of _________ pound and cuts
in ________ interest rates, ________ government still expects ________ recovery of the
economy to take three or even four years. To make ________ matters worse, ________
number of small business going into ________ liquidation is still at _________ record
level, and ________ housing market is showing signs of recovery. Some backbenchers
expect ________ general election before _______ end of _______ winter unless there is
_________ rapid change of ________ fortune.

6. 4. Complete the text with the articles a /an or the where they are necessary.
1. I’m going to stand for Parliament at ________ next election.
2. When I left _______ station, I had to stand in ________ queue for _______ taxi for
_______ long time.
3. We took _______ trip around London and saw _______ Tower Bridge.
4. _______ happiness of the majority depends on ________ hard work for everyone.
5. _______ most main roads in this part of ________ country follow ______ line of
_______ roads built by _________ Romans.
6. Have you got _________ latest record by _________ Gipsy Kings?
7. If I had ________ time, I would like to take up ________ archery.
8. We spent ________ pleasant evening having _________ drinks at _________ Robin
Hood.
9. ________ Nile flows right trough _________ city.
10. ________ I spent in _______ USA was one of ________ best in my life.
11. She was ________ first woman to cross ________ Atlantic in ________ canoe.
12. Go down ________ Godwin Street and turn right into ________ Mill Road.
13. Please, let me carry _______ shopping. It’s _______ least I can do.
14. I don’t like _______ milk in ______ coffee.
15. At _______ end of _______ busy day, ________ sleep is ________ best tonic.
16. ________ James Joyce I knew wasn’t _________ novelist and wasn’t ________ Irish
either.
5. Complete the sentences with of where necessary.
1. Can ______ birds fly?
2. Some ______ people like horror films.
3. Most _______ her family live in London.
4. Most _______ jokes don’t make me laugh.
5. None _______ these clothes fit me.
6. One _______ your friends called last night.
7. Few ______ people understand her situation.
8. All ______ you need to come with me.

7. 6. Rewrite the sentences using the pronouns.
1. There’s one thing that you should know. (something)
________________________________________________________________________
_______________
2. We all know the answer. (everybody)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
3. The bag was empty. (nothing)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
4. I saw a person who looked similar to you. (somebody)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
5. There were no people there. (anybody)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
6. Not one person said hello. (nobody)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
7. Give me whatever you can – It doesn’t matter what it is. (anything)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
8. We will record all that you say. (everything)
________________________________________________________________________
________________
7. Complete the sentences with a suitable pronoun.
1. I’ve had a bad day. _____________ has gone wrong.
2. There’s _____________ more relaxing than lying on the beach.
3. I often think that _____________ loves me.
4. The other day I met _______________ who knows you.
5. We should go and see it. ________________ says it’s fantastic.
6. It’s really boring here. There isn’t ______________ to do.
7. I’m worried. Miriam hasn’t phoned. Perhaps ________________ has happened to her.
8. Do you know _______________ who’s got a tent? We want to go camping.

8. 8. Choose the correct alternatives.
Internet / The internet is for everybody, except, it seems, for the millions of blind people
who can’t use it. Most / the most of websites are designed for anybody / nobody who
can use a mouse. Some / some of them can be used by disabled people who can’t use a
mouse, but few / few of websites are accessible to blind / the blind people. This is a pity
because we already have technology / the technology to adapt websites for blind people.
Programs can translate contents / the contents of webpages into a form that blind people
can use. Part of the reason that more websites aren’t adapted for the blind is ignorance /
the ignorance. The majority / The majority of designers don’t even know that these
programs exist.
9. Choose the correct option.
1. I’ll be with you in________________.
A. one quarter of an hour. B. a quarter of an hour. C. a quarter of one hour.
D. a quarter of hour.
2. Look at ________________. It’s very bright tonight.
A. the moons. B. moon C. the moon D. a moon.
3. Sydney is ____________________.
A. a beautiful city. B. beautiful city C. the beautiful city D. the beautiful
cities.
4. _______________________ of the present continuous tense on page 32.
A. There are example B. There are examplesC. There are the examples D . Th er e is
example
5. __________________ is one of the many factors involved in changing farming
methods.
A. Climate B. A climate C. Climates D. The climate
6. Against her parents’ wishes, she wants to be _________________.
A. the journalist B. journalist C. a journalist D. journalists
7. ‘You look upset’. ‘Yes, I’ve had _______________.’
A. the terrible morning. B. terrible morning. C. some terrible morning D . a
terrible morning
8. I haven’t been here for ________________.
A. some years B. any years C. years D. the years

9. 9. We haven’t got _____________ left.
A. a butter B. any butter C. the butter D. some butter
10. ‘Where were you last week?’ ‘I was visiting _________________.’
A. any friends B. friends C. some friends D. the friends
11. ________________ of my jewellery is missing.
A. Some of B. Any of C. Some D. Any
12. _____________ the furniture _________________ arrived yet.
A. None …has B. None …have C. None of …has D. None of…have
13. I phoned Sarah at home, but _________________
A. there were no answers B. There were no answer C. There was no answers
D. There was no answer.
14. There isn’t _______________ traffic along the street where I live.
A. many B. much C. much of D. many of
15. ______________ the food was inedible.
A. A large amount of B. Many of C. Much of D. A large number of
16. ____________ waiting to hear the results.
A. Everyone was B. All was C. Everyone were D. All were
17. Following the flood, ___________ in the area __________ major repair work
A. each of building …need B. every building…needs C. every building…need
D. Each buildings…need
18. There is _______________ evidence to support his claim.
A. little of B. few C. a few D. little