SEBA Class 10 Determiners Guide: Key Rules & Examples
This guide is structured based on the most common questions and confusing pairs that appear in the SEBA HSLC (Class 10) Examination.
Part 1: Core Concepts (The Foundation)
* What is a Determiner? A word that comes before a noun to show how the noun is being used (e.g., a book, my book, some books).
* The Most Important Rule: The determiner you choose depends on the TYPE of noun.
* Countable Nouns (C): Nouns you can count. They have singular and plural forms.
* Example: one book, two books; one friend, five friends.
* Uncountable Nouns (U): Nouns you cannot count (liquids, abstract ideas). They have no plural form.
* Example: water, milk, information, honesty, money, luggage.
* (You can’t say “two waters” or “three informations”).
Part 2: Quantifiers (The Most Tested Section)
This section covers the most common fill-in-the-blanks questions in the exam.
A. Some vs. Any (Guaranteed Question)
* SOME (Positive): Use some in positive (affirmative) sentences.
* (C) Example: I have some friends.
* (U) Example: There is some milk in the jug.
* SOME (Offers/Requests): Use some in questions that are polite offers or requests.
* Example: Will you please give me some sugar?
* Example: Would you like some tea?
* ANY (Negative): Use any in negative sentences.
* (C) Example: I do not have any friends in this town.
* (U) Example: He did not give me any money.
* ANY (Questions): Use any in most general questions.
* (C) Example: Do you have any books on this topic?
* (U) Example: Is there any water in the bottle?
* ANY (with hardly, scarcely): Use any with words that are “hidden negatives”.
* Example: He has hardly any knowledge of the subject.
* Example: I have scarcely any money left.
B. Much vs. Many (Guaranteed Question)
* MUCH (Uncountable): Use much with uncountable nouns (U). It means “a large amount of”.
* (U) Example: He has much money.
* (U) Example: I don’t have much time.
* (U) Example: How much sugar do you want?
* Note: Much is most common in questions and negative sentences. In positive sentences, “a lot of” is more natural, but much is used for exam questions.
* MANY (Countable): Use many with plural countable nouns (C). It means “a large number of”.
* (C) Example: He has many books.
* (C) Example: There are not many students in the class.
* (C) Example: How many people were there?
* (C) Example: Many a man (Note: Many a takes a singular noun and singular verb).
* Example: Many a man has tried to do this.
C. The Little / A Little / The Little Triad (Guaranteed Question)
Rule: All three are used ONLY with UNCOUNTABLE (U) nouns.
* LITTLE (Negative): Means “almost none” or “not enough”. It has a negative meaning.
* (U) Example: There is little water in the jug. (Meaning: It’s almost empty, not enough to drink).
* (U) Example: He has little hope of recovery. (Meaning: He is not likely to recover).
* (U) Example: I have little interest in music. (Meaning: I’m not interested).
* A LITTLE (Positive): Means “a small amount, but some”. It has a positive meaning.
* (U) Example: There is a little water in the jug. (Meaning: Not a lot, but enough to drink).
* (U) Example: He has a little hope of recovery. (Meaning: There is a small chance).
* (U) Example: Please give me a little sugar. (Meaning: A small quantity).
* (U) Example: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
* THE LITTLE (Specific): Means “all the small amount that was there”. It refers to a specific, limited quantity.
* (U) Example: The little water that was in the jug has evaporated. (Meaning: All of that specific small amount is gone).
* (U) Example: He spent the little money he had. (Meaning: He spent all the small amount of money he possessed).
* (U) Example: Please give me the little sugar that is in the pot.
D. The Few / A Few / The Few Triad (Guaranteed Question)
Rule: All three are used ONLY with PLURAL COUNTABLE (C) nouns.
* FEW (Negative): Means “almost none” or “not many”. It has a negative meaning.
* (C) Example: There are few students in the class today. (Meaning: Almost no students, the class is nearly empty).
* (C) Example: He has few friends. (Meaning: He is lonely).
* (C) Example: Few men are free from faults. (Meaning: Almost no man is free from faults).
* A FEW (Positive): Means “a small number, but some”. It has a positive meaning.
* (C) Example: There are a few students in the class today. (Meaning: Not many, but some are present).
* (C) Example: He has a few friends. (Meaning: He is not lonely, he has some companions).
* (C) Example: I need a few books from the library. (Meaning: A small number of books).
* THE FEW (Specific): Means “all the small number that was there”. It refers to a specific, limited number.
* (C) Example: The few students who were in the class made a lot of noise. (Meaning: All of that specific small group of students).
* (C) Example: He has lost the few friends he had. (Meaning: He lost all of the small number of friends he once had).
* (C) Example: The few books I had were all read.
Part 3: Articles (A, An, The)
A. A vs. An (Indefinite Articles)
* A: Used before a singular noun (C) that begins with a consonant sound.
* Example: a book, a cat, a dog, a man.
* A (Special Cases): Also used before vowel letters that have a consonant sound (like “yu”).
* Example: a university (sounds like “yu-niversity”).
* Example: a useful thing.
* Example: a European (sounds like “Yu-ropean”).
* Example: a one-rupee note (sounds like “wa-n”).
* AN: Used before a singular noun (C) that begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
* Example: an apple, an egg, an ink-pot, an orange, an umbrella.
* AN (Special Cases): Also used before consonant letters that have a vowel sound (silent ‘h’).
* Example: an hour (sounds like “our”).
* Example: an honest man (sounds like “onest”).
* Example: an heir.
* Example: an H.S. School (sounds like “aitch-ess”).
* Example: an M.L.A. (sounds like “em-ell-ay”).
B. The (Definite Article)
Use the when talking about a specific or unique item.
* Specific Item: When the noun has already been mentioned.
* Example: I saw a boy. The boy was crying.
* Specific Item (by context): When it’s clear which one we mean.
* Example: Please pass me the salt. (The one on the table).
* Example: Go to the post office. (The local one).
* Unique Items: For things that are one-of-a-kind.
* Example: the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, the sky.
* Superlatives: Before superlative adjectives.
* Example: He is the best boy in the class.
* Example: the tallest building.
* Holy Books:
* Example: the Ramayana, the Bible, the Quran.
* Rivers, Seas, Oceans, Mountain Ranges (plural):
* Example: the Brahmaputra, the Indian Ocean, the Himalayas.
* (Note: Not for single mountains like Mount Everest).
* Newspapers:
* Example: the Assam Tribune.
* Musical Instruments:
* Example: He can play the flute.
* Ordinals (Numbers):
* Example: the first, the second, the ninth of September.
* A whole class: To represent a whole group of animals.
* Example: The cow is a useful animal.
* Nationality (plural):
* Example: The English ruled India. (The English = English people).
C. Zero Article (Omission of Articles)
Sometimes, no article is needed.
* Proper Nouns: Before names of people, cities, or most countries.
* Example: (–) Ram is a good boy.
* Example: He lives in (–) Guwahati.
* Abstract Nouns (in general):
* Example: (–) Honesty is the best policy.
* Example: (–) Wisdom is better than riches.
* Plural Countable Nouns (in general):
* Example: (–) Children are innocent.
* Example: (–) Books are our best friends.
* Materials (in general):
* Example: (–) Gold is a precious metal.
* Meals:
* Example: I had (–) breakfast at 8 AM.
* School, College, Hospital, Church, Bed (when used for their main purpose):
* Example: I go to (–) school. (To study).
* Example: He went to (–) hospital. (As a patient).
* (Compare: His father went to the hospital to see him. – Specific building).
Part 4: Other Important Determiners
* EACH: Refers to individual members of a group (of two or more).
* Example: Each of the two boys was given a prize.
* Example: Each student has a pen.
* EVERY: Refers to all members of a group (of three or more).
* Example: Every student in the class was present.
* Example: He comes here every day.
* Rule: Each and Every are always followed by a singular noun and singular verb.
* EITHER: Means “one or the other” (of two).
* Example: You can take either of the two pens.
* Example: Either road leads to the station.
* NEITHER: Means “not one and not the other” (of two).
* Example: Neither of the two answers is correct.
* Example: Neither boy could do the sum.
* THIS (Singular, Near):
* Example: This book is mine.
* THAT (Singular, Far):
* Example: That house is yours.
* THESE (Plural, Near):
* Example: These books are mine.
* THOSE (Plural, Far):
* Example: Those houses are yours.