Editing English grammar (section)

===Determiners===
{{Main|English determiners|English articles}}
English [[determiner (grammar)|determiner]]s constitute a relatively small class of words. They include the [[English articles|articles]] ''the'' and ''a[n]''; certain [[demonstrative adjective|demonstrative]] and [[interrogative]] words such as ''this'', ''that'', and ''which''; [[possessive adjective|possessives]] such as ''my'' and ''whose'' (the role of determiner can also be played by [[English possessive|noun possessive]] forms such as ''John's'' and ''the girl's''); various [[Quantifier (linguistics)|quantifying words]] like ''all'', ''some'', ''many'', ''various''; and [[numeral (linguistics)|numeral]]s (''one'', ''two'', etc.). There are also many phrases (such as ''a couple of'') that can play the role of determiners.

Determiners are used in the formation of noun phrases (see above). Many words that serve as determiners can also be used as pronouns (''this'', ''that'', ''many'', etc.).

Determiners can be used in certain combinations, such as '''''all the''' water'' and '''''the many''' problems''.

In many contexts, it is required for a noun phrase to be completed with an article or some other determiner. It is not grammatical to say just ''cat sat on table''; one must say ''my cat sat on the table''. The most common situations in which a complete noun phrase can be formed without a determiner are when it refers generally to a whole class or concept (as in ''dogs are dangerous'' and ''beauty is subjective'') and when it is a name (''Jane'', ''Spain'', etc.). This is discussed in more detail at [[English articles]] and [[Zero article in English]].