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Khoshtip Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Determiners

As far as I've heard every noun needs a determiner. The word part in the following sentence seems to be a noun, but without any determiner!

This thing is part of that thing.
  

Top answer

khoshtip every noun needs a determiner. No, not unless you're willing to accept the existence of a "null determiner". khoshtip The word part in the following sentence seems to be a noun, but without any determiner!

  • khoshtip every noun needs a determiner.
  • No, not unless you're willing to accept the existence of a "null determiner".
  • khoshtip The word part in the following sentence seems to be a noun, but without any determiner!
  • More than seems.
  • Is.
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8 Answers
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khoshtip every noun needs a determiner.
No, not unless you're willing to accept the existence of a "null determiner".
khoshtipThe word part in the following sentence seems to be a noun, but without any determiner!
More than seems. Is. But you can say the same for many other nouns.

As it happens, you've come across
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CalifJimYou will also see it with the determiner 'a'.
Yes, I had seen that version as well. I'm somewhat confused about "null determiner". What nouns get a determiner and what ones don't get please?
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khoshtipWhat nouns get a determiner and what ones don't get please?
The only case in which a determiner is required is before a common countable singular noun.

CJ
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CalifJima common countable singular noun
Sorry but it does not seem to be correct. For example, in sentence below:
The magazines you are to buy them are very useful.
The word magazines is not a singular noun but has gotten the definite article which is also a kind of determiners.
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Check my sentence again. "required for X" does not mean "forbidden for non-X".

"magazines" is not singular, so a determiner is not required. You may say

I like to read magazines from time to time. A determiner is not required.

You may not say

I like to read magazine from time to time because 'magazine' is a common countable singular noun.
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CalifJimYou may not sayI like to read magazine from time to time because 'magazine' is a common countable singular noun.
Thanks.
The only case remained is that common countable singular nouns.
I don't know how to recognize which countable singular nouns are common and which ones are not. Could you say some examples on uncommon cou
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The term "common noun" contrasts with the term "proper noun". Essentially, not capitalized or capitalized.

common: boy, man, girl, woman, table, chair, house, city, map, computer, sky, tree, bird, ...
proper: Mr. Smith, Joseph, Chicago, Liz, Tom, Mrs. Jones, President Carter, Chairman Mao, ...

CJ

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