Pronouns are words like he, she, yourself, mine, who, this and someone. Pronouns commonly refer to or fill the position of a noun or noun phrase. A determiner specifies the kind of reference a noun has. Common determiners are: the, those, my, her, both, all, several and no.
Introduction
When it comes to grammar, there are a lot of rules to keep track of. But one of the most basic, and important, distinction is between determiners and pronouns. It's crucial to distinguish between determiners and pronouns since many of them are pronouns as well.
Examples
A determiner is a word that comes before a noun phrase and in some way qualifies what follows. An independent determiner cannot exist:
A whole noun can be replaced with a pronoun.
Most pronouns and determiners use the same exact word: either (pronoun) and either (pronoun)
Determiners are words that indicate which specific thing or group of things we're talking about. They usually go in front of a noun. For example:
-the dog
-my brother
-some cookies
-a few days
Pronouns, on the other hand, stand in for a noun. They can be used in place of a noun phrase, or even a whole sentence. For example:
-He's the dog.
-That's my brother.
-I'd like some cookies.
-We only have a few days.
If you can substitute a pronoun for a determiner + noun, then you know you're dealing with a pronoun. If you can't, then it's a determiner.
Conclusion
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. But in general, understanding the difference between determiners and pronouns will help you use them correctly. You can also download our app from the playstore or visit our website.
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