Master advanced determiners and special cases including numbers, difference between my/mine, expressions like a lot of, all, most, another, other, and complex usage rules.
✅ Recommended for: Class 9-12 (Advanced Level) | Competitive Exams
1. Number Determiners & Ordinals
| Type | Determiners | Usage | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Numbers | one, two, three, four... | Count quantity | Two students, five books |
| Ordinal Numbers | first, second, third... | Show position/order | the first chapter, her third attempt |
| General Numbers | several, a couple of | Vague quantities | several times, a couple of days |
2. Possessive Determiners vs Possessive Pronouns
| Person | Determiner (before noun) | Pronoun (replaces noun) | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Singular | my | mine | This is my book. This book is mine. |
| Second | your | yours | Is this your pen? This pen is yours. |
| Third Masc. | his | his | That's his car. That car is his. |
| Third Fem. | her | hers | I like her idea. This idea is hers. |
| Third Neut. | its | - | The company increased its profits. |
| First Plural | our | ours | This is our house. This house is ours. |
| Third Plural | their | theirs | They took their seats. These seats are theirs. |
3. Advanced Quantifiers: All, Most, Some, No, Each, Every
| Quantifier | Usage | Verb Agreement | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| all | 100%, complete group | Plural (usually) | All students are present. All the money is spent. |
| most | Majority, more than half | Plural (usually) | Most people enjoy music. Most of the work is done. |
| some | Unspecified amount/number | Depends on noun | Some books are missing. Some advice is better than none. |
| no | Zero, none at all | Singular (usually) | No student has failed. There are no chocolates left. |
| each | Every individual separately | Singular always | Each candidate has to register. |
| every | All members as group | Singular always | Every house has a number. |
4. Another, Other, Others, The Other (Complex Rules)
| Determiner | Usage | Followed by | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| another | One more, additional, different | Singular countable noun | Would you like another cup of tea? |
| other | Different, remaining | Plural noun or uncountable | I have other plans. Are there any other questions? |
| the other | Specific remaining one(s) | Singular/plural noun | One pen is blue, the other pen is red. |
| others | Other people/things (pronoun) | Stands alone | Some students passed, others failed. |
| the others | Specific remaining ones | Stands alone | Five students are here; the others are absent. |
5. Special Cases & Fixed Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Correct Usage | Common Error |
|---|---|---|---|
| a lot of / lots of | Large quantity/number | She has a lot of friends. We need lots of time. |
Alot of (always two words) |
| plenty of | More than enough | There's plenty of food for everyone. | Plenty time (must have "of") |
| a number of | Several, many | A number of students are waiting. | A number of students is waiting. |
| the number of | Specific quantity | The number of students is increasing. | The number of students are increasing. |
| a couple of | Two, a few | I'll be back in a couple of days. | A couple days (must have "of") |
| kind of / sort of | Type, variety | What kind of music do you like? | What kind music do you like? |
6. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
🎯 Advanced Determiner Challenge (8 Questions)
Choose the correct determiner for these advanced sentences.
1. This book isn't mine; it must be ____. (your/yours)
2. ____ students in my class are from different states. (Most/Most of)
3. Would you like ____ cup of coffee? (other/another)
4. ____ of applicants has increased this year. (A number/The number)
5. She has two brothers; one is a doctor and ____ is an engineer. (other/the other)
6. There are ____ reasons for his success. (a lot of/lot of)
7. ____ the students have submitted their assignments. (All/All of)
8. Do you have ____ suggestions? (any other/another)
7. Memory Aids & Exam Tips
My vs Mine Rule:
• My + NOUN → This is my book.
• NOUN + mine → This book is mine.
• Mine replaces "my + noun"
All/Most/Some Rule:
Without "the" → Just "All students"
With "the" → "All of the students" or "All the students"
Same for Most/Some
Another/Other Rule:
• Another = an + other → singular
• Other → plural or uncountable
• The other → specific remaining
• Others → stands alone (pronoun)
A number vs The number:
• A number of = several/many → PLURAL verb
• The number of = specific quantity → SINGULAR verb
Example:
A number of students ARE absent.
The number of students IS fifty.
Competitive Exam Tips:
1. Check if determiner or pronoun needed.
2. "Another" = singular, "other" = plural/uncountable.
3. "All/Most/Some" + noun OR "All/Most/Some of the" + noun.
4. "A number of" + plural verb, "The number of" + singular verb.
5. "A lot of" always two words, never "alot".
📝 Practice Advanced Determiners & Special Cases
Test your understanding with our 30-question advanced worksheet!
Go to Advanced Determiners WorksheetIncludes answer key • My/Mine • All/Most/Some • Another/Other • A number/The number • Competitive Questions
