RIC-20234 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 3 – Parts of Speech

Parts of speech
Determiners
Focus
Determiners: Possessives – my, your, his, her, its, our,
their
Distributives – all, both, half, either, neither,
each, every
Definitions
• A determiner is a word usually used before a noun
that determines how definite it is.
Example:
Our homework was placed on that table with
some books because the teacher wanted us to
take a book home each night.
• A possessive determiner is a word which identifies
who something belongs to.
Example:
Callum lost his shoes.
• A distributive is a type of determiner which tells
how something is shared or divided.
Example:
I think every person is special.
Note: In traditional grammar, some words used as
what are now called determiners in functional
grammar are referred to as adjectives; e.g. first,
seven, or as possessive pronouns; e.g. my, your.
Explanation
• Determiners are useful for making information more
precise for the reader or listener.
• Possessive determiners are always used before the
noun to say who the noun belongs to. They can be
used in first, second or third person form as well as
singular or plural. Refer to the table below to see
which possessive determiners are used in each
situation.
Singular
Plural
Person Determiner Pronouns
1st my I, me, mine
2nd your you, yours
his he, him, his
3rd her she, her, hers
its it, its
1st our we, us, ours
2nd your you, yours
3rd their they, them, theirs
Note: Possessive proper nouns are determiners.
Example:
Breigh’s homework
• The distributive determiner is always used before
the noun. It is also common to add ‘of’ after the
distributive in some situations.
Example:
Each of my siblings is unique.
Worksheet information
• For Activity 1, read the explanation text and discuss
how these words are used. Students may need
clarification between pronouns and possessive
determiners as used in the text. Read the text and
underline the pronouns used. Point out words such
as its, which are being used both in the pronoun
form and the possessive determiner form. It would
be great if students observed that in its pronoun
form, it can sit on its own, whereas when being
used in its possessive determiner form, it must
come before the noun.
• In Activity 2 the nouns have been italicised in bold
print to help students identify the distributives in the
sentences. Read each sentence and ask students
if they are able to identify the word which tells
how something is shared, distributed or divided.
Underline the word. Some students may have great
difficulty identifying these and may need direct
guidance.
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Ideas for further practice
• Select a piece of text and highlight the pronouns
in one colour and the possessive determiners in a
different colour.
• Students write their own sentences using the
distributive determiners.
Answers
1. his, its, his, his, his, its, her
2. Across: 3. Neither 4. each
Down: 1. every 2. either
3. Teacher check
Primary grammar and word study 30
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