Determiners Game (Whack-a-Mole)

Whack-a-Mole-Style Game on Determiners

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Here is an interactive game to help you learn or teach determiners.

This game is an adaptation of the classic arcade game Whack-a-Mole where players use a soft mallet to hit mechanical moles that pop up randomly from holes on the game board. In the arcade version of the game, the idea is to hit every mole. This version is harder! In this game, the objective is to "whack" (actually pop) only the bubbles that contain determiners.

If you pop a bubble that doesn't contain a determiner or you let one return back to its clam, you lose part of one of your three lives.

Pop the bubbles with determiners to score points.
You have three lives. You lose part of a life when:

You pop a bubble without a determiner.
You allow a bubble with a determiner to return to its clam.

Speed is rewarded. The faster you pop the bubble, the more points you score (ranging from 10 to 100).
You will earn 1,000 bonus points for popping five correct bubbles in a row without losing a life.
Beware! The level increases as the game goes on.
Can you get in the Hall of Fame? Good luck!

Test for the Different Types of Determiner

There are different types of determiner. To help with learning the different types, you can amend the type of determiner to look for in this game.

Type of Determiner	On or Off?
article: (e.g., an, the)	on off
possessive: (e.g., my, your)	on off
demonstrative: (e.g., this, those)	on off
quantifier: (e.g., one, some)	on off

A Reminder on Determiners

A determiner comes before a noun (or noun phrase) to specify which one, how many, or whose it is (e.g., that house, many books, my dog). The core types are articles, demonstratives, possessives, and quantifiers.

(1) Articles

Articles tell us whether the noun is specific or general. There are two kinds: the definite article the and the indefinite articles a/an.

Articles define specificity.

The dog is in the bed.
She found a coin on the pavement.

(2) Demonstratives

Demonstrative determiners are this, that, these, those. They tell us the number (singular or plural) and also the proximity (i.e., near or far in space, in time, or in a discussion).

This idea could work.
Who owns that car?
These geese are noisy.
Could you pass those files?

(3) Possessives

Possessive determiners show ownership or relationship. They are my, your, his, her, its, our, their, and whose.

My phone is charging.
They forgot their tickets.
Whose headphones are these?

(4) Quantifiers

Quantifiers express amount or number. They include exact numbers (e.g., one, twenty-four) and indefinite amounts (e.g., many, much, more, most, some, any, several, all).