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If the determinant of a matrix is zero, the image of a line after transformation by this matrix may or may not be a line in general. It will generally be a point.
Consider the transformation represented by the matrix  
\[M= \left| \begin{array}{cc} 1 & 2 \\ 2 & 4 \end{array} \right|\]
. The line in  
\[\mathbb{R}^2\]
   
\[y=3x+2\]
  may be written  
\[\begin{pmatrix}x\\3x+2\end{pmatrix}\]
  then  
\[\left( \begin{array}{cc} 1 & 2 \\ 2 & 4 \end{array} \right) \begin{pmatrix}x\\3x+2\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}7x+4\\14x+8\end{pmatrix}\]
.
The result of the transformation is that the  
\[y\]
  coordinate is twice the  
\[x\]
  coordinate so the equation of the line is  
\[y=2x\]
.
Consider the effect of the transformation on the line  
\[x=-2y+1\]
, which may be represented by  
\[\begin{pmatrix}-2a+1\\a\end{pmatrix}\]
.
\[\left( \begin{array}{cc} 1 & 2 \\ 2 & 4 \end{array} \right) \begin{pmatrix}-2a+1\\a\end{pmatrix}=\begin{pmatrix}1\\2\end{pmatrix}\]
.
In this example a line is sent to a point.