What are pronominal determiners and how are they used?

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What are pronominal determiners and how are they used?

Pronominal determiners, also known as pronominal adjectives or possessive pronouns, are a type of determiner that function as both pronouns and determiners in a sentence. They are used to indicate possession or ownership, and they replace a noun phrase in order to avoid repetition.

Pronominal determiners include words such as "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their." These determiners are used to show who possesses or owns something. For example, in the sentence "This is my book," the word "my" is a pronominal determiner that replaces the noun phrase "the book that belongs to me." It indicates that the book belongs to the speaker.

Pronominal determiners can also be used to refer to people or things that have already been mentioned or are known to both the speaker and the listener. For instance, in the sentence "I saw a dog. Its tail was wagging," the word "its" is a pronominal determiner that replaces the noun phrase "the tail of the dog." It refers back to the previously mentioned dog and indicates that the tail belongs to the dog.

Furthermore, pronominal determiners can be used to ask questions about possession. For example, in the sentence "Whose pen is this?" the word "whose" is a pronominal determiner that replaces the noun phrase "the pen that belongs to someone." It is used to inquire about the owner of the pen.

In summary, pronominal determiners are a type of determiner that function as both pronouns and determiners. They indicate possession or ownership, replace noun phrases to avoid repetition, refer to previously mentioned people or things, and can be used to ask questions about possession.