Determiner Combinations

All comes first, before the next determiner. Use one following determiner, not several together.

Both also comes first. The noun is plural because both refers to two people or things.

With a singular count noun, such comes before a or an: such a day, such an idea.

Whole groups

Use all with the whole group: all the windows, all my notes, all these problems.

Two people or things

Use both for two together: both these chairs, both our managers, both the answers.

Strong reaction

Use such a/an to make the noun phrase stronger: such a relief, such an unusual idea.

Use such before a noun phrase: such a mess, such nice people. Use so before an adjective or adverb: so messy, so quickly.

In English, these combinations have a fixed order: all my friends, both these books, such a surprise.

With a singular count noun, use such a or such an. Without the article, the phrase is incomplete.

Put determiners in the right order before a noun

Some words can stand together before a noun, but their order is fixed. Put quantity or focus words before articles, demonstratives, or possessives.

Use all before the article, demonstrative, or possessive

Say all the, all these, all my before the noun. Do not move all after the next determiner.

Use both before these, those, or possessives

With plural nouns, both comes before these, those, the, or a possessive: both these books, both my parents.

Use such before a or an with singular count nouns

Say such a/an + singular noun: such a mess, such an easy task. Do not put a/an before such.

Choose the combination that matches singular or plural nouns

Some combinations go with plural nouns, like all the students or both these books. Such a/an goes with a singular count noun.