1. Determiners and Adjectivals
Ed McCorduck
English 402--Grammar
SUNY Cortland

2. slide 2: basic rule for the structure of all NPs
basic structure of all noun phrases (NPs):
Det (ADJpr1)(ADJpr2)…(ADJprn) N (ADJps1)(ADJps2)…(ADJpsn)
Det – determiner
( ) - optional element (not required to be expressed)
ADJpr – prenoun adjectival/modifier
1, 2 … n – from one to an infinite number
N – noun as headword
ADJps – postnoun adjectival/modifier
English 402: Grammar

3. slide 3: prenominal adjectives
an ADJpr can be
a member of the word class adjective
a member of the word class noun
a verb in the –en form (see the chapter 3 “Form Classes” lecture)
a verb in the –ing form (see the chapter 3 “Form Classes” lecture)
English 402: Grammar

4. slide 4: postnominal adjectivals
an ADJps can be
a verb in the –en form (see the chapter 3 “Form Classes” lecture)
a verb in the –ing form (see the chapter 3 “Form Classes” lecture)
a prepositional phrase (PP)
a relative clause
English 402: Grammar

5. slide 5: examples of NPs with various Dets and ADJs
exx
NP: a ghost
Det N
NP: the friendly ghost
Det ADJ N
NP: this friendly smiling ghost
Det ADJ ADJ N
NP: those intrepid lion tamers
Det ADJ ADJ N
NP: our fools on parade
Det N ADJ
NP: each contaminated pizza in the fridge that I ate
Det ADJ N ADJ ADJ
NP: Osborne’s dim-witted claptrap
Det ADJ N
English 402: Grammar

6. slide 6: types of determiners: articles
definite article
the
indefinite article
a / an
English 402: Grammar

7. slide 7: articles with first and subsequent mention
General rule: the indefinite article is used for the first mention of a noun (phrase) and the definite article is used for all subsequent mentions of it.
exx
I saw a shooting star. The shooting star was blood- red. I took the shooting star as an ill omen.
English 402: Grammar

8. slide 8: specific and nonspecific reference of articles
Articles can have specific or nonspecific reference.
exx
I saw a shooting star.
indefinite article
specific reference
A shooting star can portend disaster.
nonspecific (general) reference
English 402: Grammar

9. A revolt started in the mailroom. The leaders of the revolt
slide 9: first and subsquent mention and specific and nonspecific reference
A revolt started in the mailroom. The leaders of the revolt
indefinite article definite article
specific reference specific reference
demanded more milk-and-cookie breaks.
A revolt is an act of treason. Those who lead the revolt
indefinite article definite article
nonspecific reference nonspecific reference
desire only bloodshed, chaos and strife.
English 402: Grammar

10. slide 10: the “zero” article
determiners
articles
zero article (no explicit article used)
with (many) proper names
English 402: Grammar

11. Lay (some) lilies on my grave.
slide 11: use of the “zero” article with plural count nouns with specific reference
with the first mention of plural countable nouns (alongside the determiner some only when the reference is specific)
exx
Lay (some) lilies on my grave.
*Some lilies/Lilies are symbols of resurrection.
English 402: Grammar

12. slide 12: use of the “zero” article with uncountable nouns
with noncount nouns (alongside the determiner some only when the reference is specific)
exx
*Some quicksand/Quicksand kills. For sure, quicksand is one bad-ass mother.
We ran right into (some) quicksand. The quicksand took most of our hiking party.
English 402: Grammar

13. slide 13: types of determiners: possessives
exx my
your
our
his
her
its
their
Antonio’s
the undertaker’s
English 402: Grammar

14. slide 14: types of determiners: demonstratives
exx
this
that
these
those
English 402: Grammar

15. slide 15: types of determiners: quantifiers
exx
each
every
all
several
many
much
English 402: Grammar