Pre-determiners Such What Rather Quite
Predeterminers – such – what – rather – quite
Introduction
1) Predeterminers are words placed before determiners in a sentence, i.e. they modify the determiner.
What a great day!
2) Predeterminers are usually placed before an indefinite article + adjective + noun to express an opinion about the noun they modify.
Predeterminers can be classified into the following categories:
a) multipliers (twice, three times) are used to express more than the specified amount.
My brothers make twice my annual salary.
I try to call my parents at least three times a week.
b) fractions (half, one-eighth) are used to express a fraction of an amount.
The bus will arrive in half an hour. We’ve got plenty of time.
I ate one-third of the pizza we cooked last night.
c) intensifiers (such, what, quite, rather) are used to express surprise, disappointment, pleasure, or other emotions.
Such and what are used to express surprise or other emotions.
Alice is such a kind person!
What a fantastic meal it is!
Quite and rather refer to the degree of a particular quality as expressed by the adjective that modifies the noun. They can express disappointment, pleasure, or other emotions depending on the adjective.
Note that in British English, rather is used as a predeterminer, while in American English it is only used as an adverb.
Actually, it was quite a nice meal. I am surprised.
He’s always been rather a difficult child. (BrE)
d) other pre-determiners such as all, both do not fall into the other groups. They are used to express the entire amount.
Jake broke both his legs when hiking.
How did you manage to read all these books in one week?
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