---
title: determiner — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «determiner» in the school dictionary: A determiner is a word that comes before a noun and tells you which one, whose, or how many, such as «the», «a», «this», «my», «some», «every» and numbers like «three». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# determiner

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** determiner, word, dog, you, apples, Numbers · **What happens:** be, come, tell, decide, control, happen · **To what, where:** word, noun, one, you, something, determiner · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«determiner» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [determiner in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/determiner.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: grammar — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A determiner is a word that comes before a noun and tells you which one, whose, or how many, such as «the», «a», «this», «my», «some», «every» and numbers like «three».

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:m1:1
# text = A determiner is a word that comes before a noun and tells you which one, whose, or how many, such as «the», «a», «this», «my», «some», «every» and numbers like «three».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	determiner	determiner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	before	before	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	iobj	_	_
14	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	15	det	_	_
15	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	15	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	21	advmod	_	_
21	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
23	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	26	case	_	_
24	as	as	ADP	IN	_	23	fixed	_	_
25	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	34	reparandum	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	26	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
29	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	34	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	34	punct	_	_
33	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	42	punct	_	_
37	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	38	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	42	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	38	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	42	punct	_	_
41	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	42	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	34	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	42	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	46	punct	_	_
45	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	46	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	42	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	46	punct	_	_
48	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	49	cc	_	_
49	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	46	conj	_	_
50	like	like	ADP	IN	_	52	case	_	_
51	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	52	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	49	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
53	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	52	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
54	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a determiner | a word |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | present | a word |  |  | a noun |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme before noun=Location |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a word *not said here* | which one | you |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient one=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
More generally, a determiner is something that decides or controls what happens.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:m2:1
# text = More generally, a determiner is something that decides or controls what happens.
1	More	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
2	generally	generally	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	determiner	determiner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	decides	decide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	controls	control	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
12	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	13	nsubj	_	_
13	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a determiner | something |  |  |  | generally *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **decide** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **control** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **happen** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In «the dog barked», «the» is a determiner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x1:1
# text = In «the dog barked», «the» is a determiner.
1	In	in	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	barked	bark	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	determiner	determiner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bark** *in a quote* | past | the dog |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | the determiner |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«My», «your» and «their» are possessive determiners.

<!-- fold The tree, 7 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x2:1
# text = «My», «your» and «their» are possessive determiners.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	possessive	possessive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	determiners	determiner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | My possessive determiners |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Underline the determiner in «Those apples are sour.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x3:1
# text = Underline the determiner in «Those apples are sour.»
1	Underline	underline	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	determiner	determiner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	apples	apple	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	sour	sour	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **underline** | imperative | you *not said here* | the determiner |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent determiner=Theme |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | that apples |  |  |  |  | sour *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Some», «many» and «every» are determiners too.

<!-- fold The tree, 7 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x4:1
# text = «Some», «many» and «every» are determiners too.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	13	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	determiners	determiner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | some determiners |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Numbers like «two» can act as determiners: «two cats».

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x5:1
# text = Numbers like «two» can act as determiners: «two cats».
1	Numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
2	like	like	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	determiners	determiner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
13	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | can | Numbers like two |  |  |  |  | as determiners | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A determiner comes before the adjective: «a tall tree».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x6:1
# text = A determiner comes before the adjective: «a tall tree».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	determiner	determiner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | a determiner |  |  |  | before the adjective |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use «an» before a vowel sound: «an elephant».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determiner:x7:1
# text = Use «an» before a vowel sound: «an elephant».
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	vowel	vowel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | an |  |  | before a vowel sound | a elephant *obl* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent a=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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